PNA _ A private sector representative of the Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC) on Friday lauded local government officials in the region after an improvement in the level of all the provinces’ economic classification.
Effective January 2025, the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Benguet and Mountain Province will be one step higher in income classification as approved by the Department of Finance.
Currently, Abra, Apayao Ifugao, are third-class provinces; Kalinga and Benguet, second-class provinces; and Mountain Province, fourth-class province.
“This means we have leaders who have the initiative to improve their places which also redound to better lives of the people,” RDC co-chair Edna Tabanda told the Philippine News Agency Friday.
The former mayor of Benguet capital La Trinidad noted that “if we have passionate leaders, sincere to the performance of their duties, and people sees absence of corruption, businesses and investments come in and the people benefit.”
“This also means that people cooperate with the leaders, seeing their sincerity to serve,” she said.
Tabanda shared they continue to encourage the Department of the Interior and Local Government to give more training and continue to upskill the leaders to capacitate them on public service and development.
