There are more “less developed areas” (LDAs) in Bohol than in other provinces that comprise Central Visayas region, a report quoting the Board of Investment (BOI), said.

Twelve towns in the province are considered LDAs, nine in Cebu, four in Siquijor and only one in Negros Oriental, the report said.

Among the 47 municipalities of Bohol, Alburquerque, Anda, Batuan, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Lila, Loay, San Isidro, Sevilla and Sikatuna are considered as LDAs despite the fact that they encircle the heartland of tourism in Bohol, like the Panglao island, consists of Dauis and Panglao towns, considered the premier tourism circuit and this capital city.

If municipalities are regarded as LDAs it means “areas that are challenged to lure investors,” BOI said.

The Bohol LDAs are also at the bottom in terms of its respective annual cut from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government. They are among the smallest towns in terms of land area, population and income.

The town of Sikatuna obtained only PhP34,944,355, the smallest among the 47 towns, of its IRA share for 2015, along with Corella and Alburquerque with PhP36,228,321 and PhP37,903,012, respectively.

The towns of Anda, PhP49,906,585; Batuan, Php43,391,556; Clarin, Php52,981,747; Cortes, Php44,312,830; Dagohoy, Php53,943,078; Lila, Php41,695,391; Loay, Php47,917,720; San Isidro, Php40,428,646; San Isidro, Php40,428,646; and Sevilla, Php48,286,692.

Cebu’s LDAs are towns of Alcantara, Alcoy, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Ronda, Samboan, Pilar and Tudela. The municipalities of Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Maria and San Juan in Siquijor province and San Jose, Negros Oriental, the report said.

BOI, an attached agency of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said dispersal of economic development in LDAs should be pursued based on its Memorandum Circular 2015-1 containing the policies and specific guidelines for the IPP 2014-2016 implementation. (rvo)