KALIBO, Aklan – The provincial government of Aklan will have a P2.045-billion annual budget for next year.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved Appropriation Ordinance 2018-022 on third and final reading on Dec. 17.
Gov. Florencio Miraflores signed the appropriation ordinance immediately after passage in the presence of Vice Gov. Reynaldo Quimpo and the Provincial Board members.
With the expected increase in the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), the budget for next year was raised by 9 percent to P2,045,746,825 from P2.011 billion this year.
The annual IRA is seen to hit P1,096,246,825, which is 53 percent of the budget.
Eight percent (P158,350,000) will come mainly from real property taxes (P55 million) and Special Education Fund (P60 million).
The regular fund gets the lion’s share at 61 percent (P1,254,596,825) while the Local Economic Enterprises Operations get 39 percent (P791,150,000).
The bulk of annual budget was allocated for tourism, agriculture, health, social services, economic, calamity, debt servicing, and general services.
Of the total, general public services get P591 million, while social services and operations of provincial hospital and related offices get P865 million.
Miraflores, through the Provincial Local Finance Committee and the Provincial Budget Office, submitted the proposed budget for review and enactment of the Provincial Board on Oct. 16. It was calendared for business of the 106th regular session on Oct. 22.
The proposed budget was referred to the committee of the whole for a series of briefings, hearings and deliberations with the provincial department heads and national government office representatives on Nov. 14, 15, 21, 22, and 27 and Dec. 11. (With Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
