Pangasinan was ninth best financial performer
ALL OVER RP
LINGAYEN—A report on the Financial Highlights of local government units (LGUs) for 2006 issued by the Commission on Audit listed Pangasinan as number nine with Substantial Amount of Cash in Bank, sixth with Highest Gross Income and fifth among LGUs with Highest Net Income.
Former Governor Victor Agbayani, now Second District Congressional Representative, said the report vindicates him from the attacks lodged by his political opponents.
“The COA report is the best evidence that under my incumbency the provincial economy was strong and the provincial government’s financial condition was excellent.” Agbayani said.
Agbayani has been accused by his successor Gov. Amado Espino Jr. of doing nothing during his three terms in office covering nine years and that his administration had resorted to multi-million peso loans.
Agbayani also pointed out that during his three terms as governor, Pangasinan topped the assessment and revenue collection efforts in the region and since his first term in 1998-2001 until his last term from 2004-2007, the province attained increasing yearly budget surpluses, averaging P39 million from 1998-2000 and exceeding P150 million yearly from 2004-2006.
He defended the loans as having been efficiently used to fast rack infrastructure projects such as irrigation dams, roads and bridges and rehabilitation of hospitals.
“We are proud to say that during my administration as governor, I and my team, through sound and efficient fiscal practice and revenue collection, built and left a legacy of a strong provincial economy,” Agbayani said.
Under Agbayani’s administration, 111 communal irrigation systems were built and rehabilitated, 40 kilometers of provincial and barangay roads were paved, and about 1,700 linear meters of bridges were built or repaired. #
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