BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental’s P4.4-billion budget for 2021 may be approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) today.
Next year’s budget, up by at least P200 million from this year’s budget, is only around two hearings away from approval, according to Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer.
“It could be approved today for the second to the third and final reading,” Ferrer said.
Earlier this month, the province’s legislative body conducted marathon hearings for the proposed budget and these were spread out in two weeks.
Ferrer underscored the swift approval of next year’s budget since the funds are needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
SP member Rommel Debulgado of the 1st District is leading the budget hearings as chairman of the committee on budget and finance.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson submitted the proposed budget to the SP last month.
The proposed general fund budget is P4,471,695,065, and 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 of P380,357,719; and Internal Revenue Allotment of P3,993,337,346.
Lacson said the 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./PN
