AFTER being demoted to a third class city, city treasurer Elena Asuncion claimed Laoag City has now been reclassified back into being a first class city after the city government reached an annual budget of more than P300 million. Based on the Department of Finance (DOF) Department Order No. 20-05, it states that any local government unit that has reached an average annual budget of not less than P300 million would be classified under the first classification. In view of this, Asuncion said the city government has a total income of P333,837,982.66 for last year, which was higher than the approved annual budget of P327,750,990. City Budget Office records show that the city government’s annual budget for this year—including supplemental budgets—is P322,720,760.97. This simply means that Laoag has proved that it should be reclassified back into a first class city, according to Asuncion. Asuncion added that she is expecting the DOF to include Laoag in its list of first class cities next year. Among the benefits that maybe derived on a higher classification of a city include salary and wage increases of government employees. Reacting to this, re-electionist Laoag Mayor Michael V. Fariñas said he is also expecting a continuing progress as along as there is unity and cooperation among the officials and people of Laoag. Dominic B. dela Cruz
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