MANILA, Philippines – The local government of Makati City has excluded 10 Enlisted Men’s Barrios (EMBO) barangays from its 2024 national tax allocation (NTA), which means that Taguig City will “assume full responsibility for the benefits and welfare of over 300,000 residents that are now under its jurisdiction.”

“It is now incumbent upon Taguig to take up the mantle of governance and welfare for these communities. This transition marks a new chapter, not only in the administrative dynamics of our cities but also in the lives of the residents of these barangays. We trust that Taguig City will uphold the highest standards of service and care that these residents rightfully deserve,” Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza said in a statement released on Friday, January 5.

The official cited budget department memorandum 87-A dated December 28, 2023, which states Makati will only receive tax allocation for its 23 barangays.

Under the memorandum, Makati will have P1,006,144,469.00 for the fiscal year 2024. Before, it received tax allocation of P1,775,342,277.00 when EMBO barangays were part of its jurisdiction.

“Makati does not rely on the NTA because of our consistent tax collection performance. Locally-sourced revenues are more than enough to fund our 2024 budget, not to mention the savings gained from the subsidies previously given to the EMBO barangays,” Certeza said.

Similarly, Makati announced on January 2 that the elderly in EMBO barangays can also no longer use their Blu Card for access to the city’s benefits and services.

In 2023, at least 67,097 senior citizens benefitted from Makati’s free medicine program.

To qualify as a Blu Card holder, an individual should be 60 years old and above, a registered voter in the city, and a bonafide Makati resident.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the EMBO barangays are under Taguig’s jurisdiction.

These 10 barangays are the following:

• Cembo
• Comembo
• Pembo
• East Rembo
• West Rembo
• South Cembo
• Pitogo
• Post Proper Northside
• Post Proper Southside
• Rizal

 – Rappler.com