• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government’s Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) logged a 24 percent increase in its collections as of November last year.
EEDD records showed it has a cumulative collection of P234.738 million on the same period, from Cyber Center, Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros (FTMON), Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary, Negros Residences and Ayala Malls Capitol Central rentals, from only P189.357 million in 2022.
Provincial Adminstrator Rayfrando Diaz II, who is the EEDD officer-in-charge, reported yesterday that the Cyber Center was the top performer, with a collection of P111.019 million.
Ayala Malls totaled P34.794 million; Mambukal Resort and catering, P70.792 million; FTMON, P10.447 million, and Negros Residences, P7.683 million.
Diaz temporarily took over the supervision of EEDD, following the retirement of its head Lucille Gelvolea, who is now the administrator of Bacolod City.
He immediately implemented the reorganization of the EEDD personnel, by assigning focal persons and administrative officers to facilitate the smooth operations of the various economic enterprises.
“We are overperforming in some establishments, but other businesses need to pick up so that their income will improve,” Diaz said.
Gelvolea was lauded by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for “a job well done” as head of the EEDD for several years.
In general, EEDD has surpassed its target for 2023. We are now setting a new target for 2024 to contribute to the local income of the province, and not just rely on the National Tax Allotment for our budget in the succeeding years, Diaz said. | GB
