Hinigaran mayor mulls reclamation project

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Nadie Arceo of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental said he is mulling a reclamation project to further jumpstart the local economy.

Arceo told reporters here that a reclamation project is ideal for development considering that Hinigaran is a coastal town.

He said the coastline is only a few kilometers from the main highway.

Arceo will ask first for a resolution of no objection from the municipal council for the project, which he eyes to start in 2023.

Meanwhile, Arceo said that the town’s National Tax Allocation (NTA), formerly the Internal Revenue Allocation or IRA, will be reduced by P46 million due to reduced tax collection by the national government in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

All other local government units in the country will also suffer NTA share cuts.

Hinigaran’s NTA share in 2023 is projected at P280 million, around P20 million less from the more than P300 million last year.

Arceo said it will affect the town’s 20 percent development fund, but he pointed out that the reduced NTA will be reinforced by local resources like the newly-completed slaughterhouse, public market, and the town-managed hotel.

He also revealed that the town’s Health Emergency Clinic was refurbished and elevated to a Health Community Hospital which could cater to more patients with additional staff and hospital equipment.

“With this, residents no longer need to go far for their hospital needs.”

Arceo said he was admitted to the community hospital when he contracted COVID-19.