BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental’s proposed budget for 2021 is P4.4 billion.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson submitted the proposal to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for review and approval on Thursday.
The proposed budget will be included in the SP session for first reading on Oct. 20, after which it will be sent to the Committee on Finance.
The proposed general fund is P4,471,695,065. Allocated for personal services is P1,641,424,244; maintenance and other operating expenses, P1,374,658,871; capital outlay, P12,000,000; and special purpose appropriations, P1,443,611,950.
The P4.4 billion will come from tax revenues totaling P98,000,000; non-tax revenues, P380,357,719; and Internal Revenue Allotment, P3,993,337,346.
Lacson said the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused an economic loss of P9.57 billion to Negros Occidental.
Because of the economic downturn, he said, the province’s priorities and its budget formulation shifted to more pressing concerns in the face of decreasing business activities and ensuring public health and safety.
For his part, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer assured the approval of the proposed 2021 budget on time “as funds are needed to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”/PN
