NEWSFLASH

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CITYHOOD FOR TAGUM, ILAGAN AND MALAYBALAY

Manila, Oct. 25, 1997 - The House of Representatives has approved the conversion of the towns of Tagum in North Davao, Ilagan in Isabela and Malaybalay in Bukidnon into cities.

Speaker de Venecia said the future cities will soon enjoy dramatic improvements in their internal revenue allotments which will enable them to expand services and encourage industrialization.

De Venecia also announced that assistance to local government units for 1998 has been increased to P86.2 billion, 13.4 percent more than the budget for 1997.

A fourth town that was approved for conversion into a city is Urdaneta in Pangasinan, the home province of both President Fidel Ramos and Speaker de Venecia.

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