ORMOC CHOSEN AS ONE OF 20 PILOT LGUS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNANCE REFORM PROJECT-COMPONENT 3. On March 2, 2023, Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez signed the Memorandum of Agreement between Ormoc City, Department of Finance (DOF), and the stakeholders for the Local Governance Reform Project. The said MOA signing was held at the DOF Building, BSP Complex, in Metro Manila.

The City of Beautiful People was chosen as among the 20 pilot cities to adapt said program. Accordingly, by taking part, the LGU of Ormoc will undergo a series of mentoring and coaching on updating Schedule Market Values, conduct of Tax Impact Studies, updating of Real Property Tax assessment records, and the Electronic Collection and Payment System.

In her acceptance speech, she shared her experience as a then-lawmaker and as a Local Chief Executive now, saying, “I realized that while being a member of the House of Representatives gave me the opportunity to dream for my district through legislation, being mayor gives me the chance to see these dreams through to their full physical fruition. I learned that while law-making is crucial, it is vitally incumbent on the Local Government Units to implement the programs, projects and activities or PPAs, that are the muscles and the building blocks, in creating benefits to society, such as providing schools, infrastructure, health facilities, job creation and much more.”

Present also at the event were DOF Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Atty. Wilbert Taneca (OIC Director, BLGF), Usec. Dakila Elteen Napao, Governor Dakila Carlo Cua, and Fourth District of Leyte Representative Richard Gomez. (Grabbed from the City Government of Ormoc FB Page / EV Mail Feb. 27-March 5, 2023 issue)