Higher revenue collections in 2010 supported the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for 2013 as it jumped by 37.5 percent to P302.3 billion, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reported on Wednesday.

The department said that the 2013 IRA was higher than the P219.9-billion figure posted in 2012.

The department noted that internal tax revenues generated in 2010 climbed to P822.6 billion, an increase over the P750.3 billion collected in 2009.

DBM cited the Section 284 of the Local Government Code, which states that local governments shall have a share in national internal tax revenues based on collections posted three years before the current fiscal year.

According to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, the energetic revenue collection efforts that marked the beginning of the Aquino administration helped generate higher revenues in 2010, which translates to higher budgetary support for the country’s local governments this year.

“With bigger IRA shares now available to them, our local governments will have more legroom to boost their operational efficiencies and improve the delivery of key goods and services to the public,” he added.

Furthermore, the DBM also affirmed that this year’s IRA will be distributed among 81 provinces, 143 cities, 1,479 municipalities and 41,889 barangays.

It said that the list of local governments set to receive their IRA shares now includes the newly created cities of Ilagan, Isabela; Mabalacat, Pampang and Cabuyao, Laguna.

Meanwhile, the DBM chief revealed that the province of Dinagat Islands will now get its IRA share upon the legal resolution of its status as a province.

On October 24, 2012, the Supreme Court issued an Entry of Judgment on its decision upholding the constitutionality of Republic Act 9355—the act creating the province—making it final and executory.

“With the finality of the court’s decision, the local government of Dinagat Islands can finally jumpstart the development of the province and push for the prompt delivery of services to its constituents.

The administration’s goal has always been to institute rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth for all Filipinos and the people of Dinagat Islands are no exception to that,” Abad said.