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[av_heading heading=’SP APPROVES P2.2B BUDGET
Sports, tourism funds doubled ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved on its second and final reading the P2.25-billion city budget for 2018.
Next year’s budget was from the Internal Revenue Allotment from the national government worth P1.145 billion (49 percent) and the local revenue of the city worth P1.105 billion (51 percent).
The 2018 budget is P250-million higher compared to this year.
The budget was approved on Dec. 13 during the SP’s regular session at the Bacolod City Government Center.
The fund allocation for the Tourism Development Office was doubled from this year’s P2 million to next year’s P4 million because “among the priority projects of the local government unit for 2018 is the development of its tourism promotions,” according to Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the SP committee on appropriations and finance.
Distrito said the fund for sports development activities – which is also a priority project – was also doubled, from P2.5 million to P5 million.
Next year’s priority projects also include improving the issuance of regulatory permits, innovating the unified business application form and online registration, and shortening of registration processing time, Distrito said.
The highest percentage of the 2018 budget went to the maintenance and other operating expenses with P1.131 billion, or 50 percent.
The second highest, at 27 percent, went to the personal services with P606 million, followed by the P295-million capital outlay fund at 13 percent, P206-million special purpose appropriations fund at nine percent – including the disaster risk reduction and management fund worth P112.5 million – the P12-million financial expenses fund at one percent.
The anti-smoking ordinance implementation was also allocated with a P1.3-million budget.
The city government has P4 million for the cakes of senior citizens during their birthdays next year, P15 million for schoolbags and school supplies for elementary and high school students, P2 million for the free WiFi project, also P2 million for programs for fisherfolk and farmers, and P5 million for the miscellaneous fees of elementary and high school students.
A P230-million fund, on the other hand, will go to the development of roads, water and drainage systems, markets, and community centers in the city.
There is also a 21.8-percent increase in the budget allocation for the Bacolod City College at P38 million.
Other services that had budget increase were the social services, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities and for the rehabilitation program of drug surrenderees, and the health services under the City Health Office./PN
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