Effective January 1, 2025, the Province of Aklan as a Local Government Unit (LGU) had been upgraded to a First Class Province for having attained average annual income of P1.5 billion and more from regular sources during the past three years.
This, after the Department of Finance (DOF) promulgated Department Order 074-2024 on November 5, 2024 pursuant to the implementation of Republic Act No. 11964, or the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units (LGUs) Act, which was enacted by the 19th Congress early this year.
The Provincial Government of Aklan had been long waiting for its upgrading into a first class province, believing that the province has already qualified, reckoned since former Governor Carlito S. Marquez from 2005 to 2014, from the term of former Governor Florencio T. Miraflores from 2014 to 2023 (his second round of governorship), and from 2022 to 2025 of incumbent Governor Jose Enrique M. Miraflores.
Meanwhile, the capital town of Kalibo and Malay of the Boracay fame retained their first class income classification. Both had average annual regular income of P200-million or more.
The municipality of Ibajay joined the ranks of Kalibo and Malay after leapfrogging from 3rd to 1st class with average annual income for the last three years from regular sources of P200 million or more.
The town of Nabas, too, is upgraded two categories higher from 4th to 2nd class, joining Banga, New Washington and Libacao as 2nd class municipalities. The latter three towns moved from 3rd to 2nd class with average annual income from regular sources of P160 million or more but less than P200 million.
The rest of Aklan towns had been upgraded into a category higher: Altavas from 4th to 3rd; Balete from 4th to 3rd; Batan from 4th to 3rd; Buruanga from 5th to 4th; Lezo from 5th to 4th; Madalag from 4th to 3rd; Makato from 4th to 3rd; Malinao from 4th to 3rd; Numancia from 4th to 3rd; and, Tangalan from 5th to 4th.
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