TACLOBAN CITY— Northern Samar is now officially classified as a first-class province, according to its provincial treasurer Allan Valenciano.
This reclassification follows the issuance of Department of Finance (DOF) Order No. 74-2024, implementing the First General Income Reclassification of local government units (LGUs) based on Republic Act No. 11964, or the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units Act.
Since 1998, Northern Samar had been categorized as a second-class province, despite its steadily increasing income.
In 2019, under Governor Edwin Ongchuan’s administration, the province reported an average annual income of P1.586 billion. By 2022, this figure had risen significantly to P2.3 billion, qualifying it for first-class status under the new law.
Accompanying the province’s upgraded classification, Catarman remains a first-class municipality, joined by Laoang and Mondragon, which were elevated from second- and third-class statuses, respectively.
Other towns which also saw improvements of their income classifications were Catubig, Las Navas, Palapag, Pambujan, and San Isidro, as second-class towns; while Bobon, Gamay, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, San Roque, and Silvino Lubos, are now categorized as fourth-class.
Based on the DOF’s income classification, first Class towns have P200 million or more annual income while for the second class municipalities, P160 million to less than P200 million.
Third Class LGUs have P130 million to less than P160 million while those in the fourth Class have P90 million to less than P130 million.
This updated classification will take effect on January 1, 2025.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
