By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental was listed as the eighth richest province in the Philippines, based on the Commission on Audit’s (COA) Annual Financial Report 2022 for Local Government Units (LGUs).

Data from the COA showed Negros Occidental has total assets amounting to P19.419 billion.

However, the province dropped from sixth place in the rankings last year.

Currently, Cebu province is still the richest LGU in the country, with assets of up to P235 billion.

It was followed by Rizal province with an estimated P35.6 billion in assets, Batangas (P32 billion), Davao de Oro (P23.1 billion), Ilocos Sur (P21.6 billion), Bukidnon (P21 billion), and Cavite (P19.3 billion).

Iloilo province, with P20 billion assets, is in the same spot as Negros Occidental.

Pampanga province displaced Palawan in 10th place./DGB, WDJ