Embo barangays excluded by DBM in Makati’s 2024 NTA

HEALTH CONCERNS With the loss of their yellow card benefits, residents in the 10 “Embo” barangays now under Taguig City’s jurisdiction worry about their health-care needs. — MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The local government of Makati City declared the exclusion of the 10 Enlisted Men’s Barrio (Embo) barangays from its national tax allotment (NTA) allocation for the fiscal year 2024.

Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza highlighted that the decision, based on the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) Budget Memorandum No. 87-A dated Dec. 28, 2023, was made in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling in June 2023, transferring these areas to the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

READ: Embo folk to get free teleconsultation after health centers shut

Under this decision, Makati City will now receive its NTA solely for the 23 remaining barangays under its jurisdiction, with a reduced allocation of P1,006,144,469 for the fiscal year 2024, down from the initially allocated P1,775,342,277 before the exclusion of the Embo barangays.

Certeza acknowledged the P775-million reduction but emphasized that it would have a negligible impact on the city’s programs and services, citing Makati’s robust tax collection performance and locally sourced revenues.

“This means that Taguig has to assume full responsibility for the benefits and welfare of over 300,000 residents that are now under its jurisdiction,” said Certeza, underscoring the significance of this transition in the administrative dynamics of both cities.

Windfall for Taguig

The DBM memorandum highlighted the consequential impact on the NTA allocations of both Makati and Taguig, a system distributing national tax revenues to local governments based on population (50 percent), land area (25 percent) and equal sharing (25 percent).

Reporters sought comment from the city government of Taguig but received none as of this writing.

Meanwhile, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, husband of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, joined the ongoing dispute, expressing strong criticism toward the closure of fire stations in Embo barangays by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Cayetano pledged to investigate the BFP’s actions, citing serious danger faced by residents in these barangays due to the locked fire stations.

READ: Taguig accuses Makati of ‘deceit and fraud’ in closing Embo health centers

In a live broadcast on Facebook, the senator voiced his discontent, saying: “It is very dangerous that the Bureau of Fire abandoned the fire stations in Embo barangays,” and promised to get to the bottom of the issue.

Taguig has long been under the authority of the Cayetanos, with the senator and his wife, Lani, currently serving as the incumbent mayor. Meanwhile, Makati has been under the control of the Binays for over three decades, with Mayor Abby Binay leading the city.

When Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos visited a West Rembo fire station to reopen it on Friday afternoon, he told reporters that the reason behind the closure of fire stations was legal and budgetary issues.

Abalos assured the public that they are working on solutions to keep fire stations in Embos in operation. On the other hand, police service will remain uninterrupted, given that both cities are under the jurisdiction of the Southern Police District.

Meanwhile, the University of Makati announced the reclassification of Embo students as “non-Makati residents,” on Friday morning, rendering them ineligible for subsidies and benefits available to Makati residents. Non-Makati residents will now have to pay tuition fee of P3,000, in addition to miscellaneous fees, starting the next academic year.