Valencia bids to become Mindanao’s 7th highly urbanized city

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon – Known as the “City of Golden Harvest,” this city is hoping to become Bukidnon’s first and Mindanao’s seventh highly urbanized city (HUC), in a bid for greater administrative and fiscal autonomy as it strives to make the locality even more investment-friendly.

Mayor Amie Galario said they sought the city council’s support for a resolution formally petitioning the national government to convert the city into an HUC.

READ: Marcos declares Naga as highly urbanized cityThe proposed resolution, now under deliberation by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, is among the key requirements under the Local Government Code of 1991 for cities seeking HUC status.Once approved by a majority of council members and endorsed by the mayor, the resolution will be forwarded to Malacañang for appropriate action, Galario said.The mayor stressed that Valencia already meets the two primary qualifications for HUC status — population and income.To qualify as an HUC, Valencia City must have an annual income of at least P50 million based on 1991 constant prices, equivalent to P250 million in current value, and a population of at least 200,000 residents.Based on latest local government data, the city has already surpassed the population requirement, with at least 223,000 residents.

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The city also generates annual income far beyond the threshold required under the law, supported by a growing local economy and strong revenue collection.For 2026, Valencia has an approved annual budget of P2.725 billion. Of this amount, P2.137 billion comes from its National Tax Allocation (NTA), while locally generated revenues account for P476.24 million.The city government has also intensified information campaigns and adopted measures to build public support for the conversion bid.Galario said that obtaining HUC status would allow Valencia greater administrative and fiscal autonomy, enabling it to directly manage its resources, implement development programs more efficiently, and access larger national government funding for infrastructure and public services.

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She noted the bid to become Bukidnon’s first HUC will further enhance its potential to attract investments.Known as the “City of Golden Harvest,” Valencia is widely regarded as Bukidnon’s economic and commercial hub. The locality produces rice, corn, and high-value crops such as pineapple and banana.

READ: Valencia City in Bukidnon declared insurgency-freeSince its conversion from a municipality to a component city on January 12, 2001, the city has experienced rapid urban growth fueled by trade, agriculture, education, and investment activities.Galario pointed out that Valencia’s economic performance, expanding population, and role as the province’s “primary growth center” make it a strong candidate for HUC status.If approved, Valencia would join the ranks of Mindanao’s six highly urbanized cities — Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Butuan, and General Santos — and become the first city in Bukidnon to attain the classification.The move comes as more local governments seek greater autonomy to manage increasingly urbanized economies.In 2025, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the proclamation declaring Naga City in Camarines Sur as the country’s 34th HUC after it met the required population and income benchmarks.For Valencia, Galario said the bid is not merely a change in classification but a recognition of its emergence as one of Northern Mindanao’s fastest-growing urban centers./coa

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