ILOILO City – The city government is proposing a P3.08-billion executive budget for 2022, higher than this year’s P2.7 billion.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the city’s receipts are estimated to increase by 18.1 percent due to the increase in its National Tax Allotment or NTA (formerly Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA) share because of the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia cases.
However, Treñas noted that projections from local sources were down in anticipation of decreased collections due to pandemic-induced closure (permanent/temporary) of establishments.
Of the P3.08-billion estimated receipts certified by the Local Finance Committee, P1.457 billion or 47.28 percent would be from local sources while P1.607 billion or 52.15 percent represents the city’s share from the NTA.
Meantime, around P17.5 million or 0.57 percent would be from the city’s share in the economic zone with a capital spending of P6,737 for a projected population of 457,626 inhabitants per 2020 Census of the National Statistics Office.
The proposed budget is now with the Sangguniang Panlungsod for deliberation.
The Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), meanwhile, has the biggest chunk – 35 percent of the proposed budget – at P1.08 billion.
Personal Services (PS) has the second highest allocation at P1.081 billion; Special Purpose Appropriation at over P710.5 million; Capital Outlay at P200.1 million; and Financial Expenses at P52.8 million.
The city is also eyeing a P75.795-million budget for its Local Economic Enterprise, lower than this year’s P78.819-million.
“We have adopted conservative estimates of our income for our economic enterprises, again, on account of the ongoing pandemic,” the mayor said.
According to Treñas, the 2022 budget features the following:
* Observance of status quo on appropriations for MOOE accounts except those whose proposals for an increase are deemed necessary
* Appropriation for increase in salaries and wages of workers based on job orders and contracts of services by 12.5 percent
* Appropriation for implementation of the third tranche of the salary schedule for local government units effective July 2022
* Appropriation for newly-created offices such as the Office of the Building Official, City Architect’s Office and Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
* Implementation of BDM Budget Circular No. 137 re: Index of Occupational Standard, Position Titles and Salary Grades in the Local Government 2021 Edition
* Allocation of funds for programs, projects and activities mandated under LBM No.82; and
* Funding for infrastructure projects that will help boost the city’s economy and in keeping with the “Build, Build, Build” program of the national government.
“We are embracing a positive outlook and remain consistent in our vision to come up with a balanced budget without necessary sacrificing our mandates,” said Treñas./PN
