By Charissa Luci-Atienza Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza is proposing to convert into component cities the capital towns of provinces still without a city, and which are among the 20 poorest provinces classified as such by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations urged his colleagues to urgently take a second look at the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended to amend its provision that "unduly restricts and unfairly impedes" the economic, political and socio-cultural growth of provinces without cities and the poorest provinces. "Recognizing the indispensable and crucial role of capital towns in the economic, political, and socio-cultural development of provinces in the country, it is urgent to revisit and amend the provisions of the Local Government of 1991, as amended, especially the minimum locally generated average annual income requirement for cityhood at P100 million for the last two consecutive years based on year 2000 constant prices, " he said in filing his House Bill 5535. Daza said his bill seeks to amend Section 450 of Republic Act 7610, as amended by Republic Act 9009, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. Under HB 5535, the capital towns of provinces where there is no existing city and which are among the 20 poorest provinces classified such as the PSA as of the first semester of 2018 shall be converted into component cities regardless of their locally generated average annual income. "By elevating the status of these municipalities into component cities, they will be granted more autonomy, taxation powers and an increased share in the internal revenue allotment, thereby further capacitating them to improve the lives and well-being of their populace, especially the poor, " Daza said. "Moreover, their cityhood will invigorate the investment climate in the locality. Their empowerment will also redound to the beneficial development of the other neighboring towns within the province, " he added. He said it is "not the intent" of the Local Goverment Code to bring "perpetual underdevelopment" to the capital towns of provinces without a city and the poorest provinces as shown by the statistics of the PSA. "Converting into cities the capital towns of provinces without cities and which are classified among the 20 poorest provinces by the PSA will put them at par with the other existing capital cities and enable them to equally and fairly enjoy the benefits of cityhood, thereby in the final analysis, fostering and advancing the economic, political and socio-cultural foundations of the country as a whole," Daza said. HB 5535 provides that existing capital towns qualified under the proposed Act shall be converted into component cities upon approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be held in the capital towns. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall submit to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the list of capital towns, which qualify under the proposed Act, within 30 days from the effectivity of the law, the measure provides. The Comelec, under the bill, would be tasked to conduct and supervise the plebiscite in qualified capital towns within 90 days from receipt of the list. The expenses for such plebiscite shall be borne by the concerned capital towns, the measure said. The DILG shall issue the implementing rules and regulations of the proposed Act within 30 days after the effectivity of the proposed Act, it said.