LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. and Benguet Caretaker Congressman Eric Go Yap assured his commitment to push for the cityhood of the province’s capital town to ensure the sustained robust development in the municipality.
The neophyte lawmaker said he will wait for the decision of the town officials prior to the filing of the appropriate legislation for the conversion of the municipality to a component city of the province considering its current state as one of the well-developed localities in the province, being adjacent to Baguio City.
He disclosed he will try to look for an established city similar to the present situation of La Trinidad so that the same will be used as one of the basis and arguments for the conversion of the first-class municipality into a component city.
Under the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines, first-class municipalities that are qualified to be converted into component cities should have a minimum population of 150,000, a land area of at least 10,000 hectares and an annual income of over P100 million.
In the case of La Trinidad, it has a population of over 100,000, a land area of slightly over 8,000 hectares which is lesser than the prescribed threshold, and an annual income of over P200 million.
Yap, who chairs the House Committee on Games and Amusements, asserted he will closely work with other lawmakers to work out the town’s cityhood because it is high time that La Trinidad become a city considering its current status as one of the most developed municipalities in the region.
Aside from looking for an established city similar to the present status of La Trinidad, the congressman stated that another option being studied by his staff is the filing of a bill that will convert all capital towns of provinces as cities regardless of their current status and compliance to the requirements of becoming a component city.
During the 7th Cities and Municipalities Comparativeness Index (CMCI) last year, La Trinidad emerged as the 12th most competitive municipality in the country after making waves in the pillar of government efficiency, economic dynamism, resiliency and infrastructure.
Yap claimed he is looking for an area or a tourism industry to be further developed as a trademark of the province to help sustain the growth of the local tourism industry as Benguet is rich in assets with potential as tourist spots that will contribute in spurring economic activities and providing adequate sources of livelihood for the people in the said places.
He committed to continue working for the overall growth and development of the province while being its caretaker congressman and that he wants to leave a legacy people will remember once he will no longer be in the field of politics and as its caretaker congressman.
By Hent
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis