MANILA – A city in Metro Manila, which was named after the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth, solidified its hold as the richest city in the country based on its record achievement in tax collections in 2008.
This was disclosed by Dr. Victor Endriga, the city treasurer of suburban Quezon City in Metro Manila, who described 2008 as a “banner year†by posting the biggest tax collection in the city’s history. The city, named after the late Philippine Commonwealth president Manuel L. Quezon, is the biggest in land area among the 15 cities and one town that comprise Metro Manila which has a total population of 12 million.
Quezon, who was outspoken in pressing for the granting of Philippine independence from the US, is best remembered for his quotation: “I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by the Americans.â€
In his report, Endriga said the city government posted a gross revenue collection equivalent to $20 million for 2008, which further solidified its status as the country’s richest city.
More significant, Endriga pointed out, is that city hall achieved a 23 percent increase in its collection of business taxes as well as posted a budget surplus of more than $20 million in 2008.
He revealed the city government started overshooting its revenue collections in 2002 after Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, a former journalist and speaker of the House of Representatives, assumed office. Since then, Endriga added, Belmonte has been aggressively pursuing measures designed to boost the city’s revenue collections.
With less than two years before his term ends in 2010, Belmonte said in a separate report that his administration has done an impressive job in fulfilling its vow to make Quezon City a model for others to follow in terms of governance and effective leadership.
Belmonte cited among others the awards bestowed on the city as the “teacher of best practices†by the United Nations and such renowned financial institutions as the World Bank and the Manila-based Asian Development Bank as well as the United Nations.
At the same time, Belmonte assured that Quezon City will continue to maintain its competitive edge over other cities and municipalities in the country, despite the global economic and financial turmoil. One area where the city has maintained a competitive edge, the mayor said, its infrastructure development program from 2001 to the early part of 2008.
Belmonte revealed that city hall invested close to $30 million for insfrastructure projects, 23 percent of which was allocated for the improvement and extension of the city’s road networks. He also said the city is investing heavily on education which he considers as the key to level the playing field between the rich and poor residents.
From 2001 to 2008, Belmonte reported that 87 more public elementary and high school buildings, providing 1,471 new classrooms, which cost another $30 million.
Improvements in the city’s landscape brought to the force the rise of more public parks, including extensive improvements implemented at the 28-hectare Quezon Memorial Circle in front of city hall, Belmonte said.
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davao city is one of the richest city in the philippines.logging,copper,gold,water,abundant marine life,all agricultural rice corn fruits and other tree crops like rubber.cement and even the renounce oil excavation that been here in mindanao.this is really a rich place its up to the people on how to handle it.this is a truly paradise im a tourist there,its really apromising place,
davao city is one of the richest city in the philippines.logging,copper,gold,water,abundant marine life,all agricultural rice corn fruits and other tree crops like rubber.cement and even the renounce oil excavation that been here in mindanao.this is really a rich place its up to the people on how to handle it.this is a truly paradise im a tourist there,its really apromising place,yes you can
davao city is not as rich as cebu city, davaos IRA was included on their income. IRA is a financial help or subsidy from national govt.
For being part of the NCR it is not a surprice that Quezon city or any neighboring Metro Manila Cities will be on the Top, But when we talk about the south. It is Cebu that we can consider a Super economy, Super Power or what ever term you can call for supremacy.