VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — Ilocos Sur unseated Bulacan to claim the title of the country’s top revenue-earning province for 2024. Bulacan, the perennial leader in recent years, now stands in second spot, while Cebu, a former top earner for many years, landed third. The 2024 Annual Financial Report (AFR) from the Commission on Audit (COA) confirmed Ilocos Sur’s financial victory, reporting a staggering P9.721 billion in total revenues for the year. This achievement represents a huge 140.68 percent growth — a jump of P5.682 billion — from its previous year’s figure of P4.039 billion. Tobacco windfall The explosive revenue surge was attributed to the region’s main crop: Virginia-type tobacco. The COA report detailed that the key factor was the massive release of Ilocos Sur’s share in the tobacco excise tax fund, governed by Republic Act (RA) 7171. Ilocos Sur, a major tobacco producer, received P6.901 billion from this fund last year. The law mandates that a portion of the excise taxes collected from cigarettes using Virginia-type tobacco must be allocated back to the producing provinces. This substantial payment transformed the province’s financial standing, allowing it to easily surpass Bulacan, which posted P8.811 billion. However, Ilocos Sur has not yet received its share of the tobacco excise tax for 2025, as the annual disbursement from the national government typically arrives in December. The reported revenue spike therefore reflects the previous fiscal year’s massive release. Former governor Luis Singson, the principal author of RA 7171, celebrated the milestone, highlighting the legislation’s profound effect on the provincial economy. During a recent interview, he commended the provincial leaders for a job well done. “I congratulate the hard work of Governor Jerry Singson, Vice Governor Ryan Singson, the provincial board members, and all the mayors of Ilocos Sur for topping the revenue list of all provinces in the country. This P9.721 billion success is the powerful and long-awaited result of RA 7171, providing much-needed funds directly to our tobacco-producing regions,” Singson said. “This financial victory is a clear sign that the mechanisms we put in place are finally paying off for our people.” He added that he specifically instructed the mayors of his province not to engage in any ghost projects in Ilocos Sur during their annual meeting. Direct Vigan flights Leveraging the province’s new financial might, Singson stressed the need for critical infrastructure to boost tourism and overall progress. He called on Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to honor a previous commitment to open Vigan Airport (also known as Mindoro Airport) to commercial traffic. “The money is here; now the challenge is to bring the tourists. With all due respect, I am requesting Secretary Dizon to kindly facilitate the necessary steps so that Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific can begin flying directly to Vigan Airport,” Singson said. “I want to respectfully assure the national government that the provincial government has already completed all the necessary requirements for commercial flight operations, including essential technical assessments like the boring test, runway expansion, and all other prerequisites for compliance,” he said. “We have Vigan, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the status of the wealthiest province. Direct flights are the next critical step to generating more jobs, spurring investment, and making Ilocos Sur truly progressive,” he added.