tale of many cities

Does the Philippines need more cities?

Becomming a city is a big deal for towns and municipalities. In a way it 'upgrades' the status of a particular place. It further means that a particular place has improved economically, socially and that people are, in a sense, more 'modern'. Cityhood is a status desired by many towns and municipalities. Having more cities also gives a country a good image, since it implies that many places are improving. But the question is does the country need more?

Today, 90% of the 120-strong League of Cities in the Philippines, headed by Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos, are expected to set their flags at half-mast and their employees to wear black arm bands. This is in protest to House Bill 24, authored by Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hofer, that seeks to amend Republic Act 9009 or the Local Government Code by exempting capital towns of provinces from the minimum income requirements to become a city.

The new proposed bill states that all provincial capital towns can become a city despite the lack of the minimum requirements. For a town to be a city, it must have a land area of 100 square kilometers, a population of 150,000 and a Php 100 million annual income. With the new bill, capital towns can become a city even if they earn only 50 million income annually.

The proposed bill not only hurts the existing cities, but it also lowers the standards for any city. Every city get a share of the Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA. With more cities, the IRA decreases, thus cities get less money annually. The standard for cityhood has also diminished. Now any town with minimum qualifications can now apply.

Negros Occidental has 13 cities, the most number of cities in one province. But if one visits the place, only 1 city can actually be called a 'city'. Only the capital Bacolod City is the city one can actually compare with major cities such as Ilo-ilo, General Santos or even Cebu. The 12 other cities are still mostly agricultural. One would not think they are cities if one visits them. And surely this is also the case with other provinces.

Just last year, 16 towns were elevated to cityhood. Surely, few people would not recognized most of these cities. There are a lot of cities in the country that really doesn't look like cities. Except, I guess, for San Juan City in Metro Manila, which was elevated last year, the rest doesn't look and feel like a city.

Although it is also true that for places to be developed, it is important that they become a city first. After all, some companies would not invest in just a small town. But in the bigger picture, government must only elevate towns if indeed it has the right place in the league of cities. It might be a bad thing for a town if it is elevated to cityhood without the right requirements. Timing is very important. Becomming a city for a small town might even be bad for that town since now they will stand behind bigger cities and will just fade in the shadows of the "great cities". But if it remains to be a town and wait for some time, then chances are it will be known as the "great town" and will open further investment opportunities since they will be compared with just smaller towns.

Being a city is something good, but government must only elevate towns if they meet the perfect requirements. It might lead to the town's doom is they will be elevated without the right criteria. These town-city will just be eaten alive by competition and comparison.