BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer of Negros Occidental assured the timely approval of the proposed P4.4-billion budget for 2021.
He does not see a delay since funds are needed for the province’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) will start marathon budget hearings this week. All department heads will be summoned to explain their respective offices’ proposed budgets.
Ferrer said a large chunk of the budget would fund the province’s health services and address the damages caused by the pandemic.
The proposed budget already hurdled first reading in the Provincial Board.
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 two weeks ago.
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 projected tax revenues totaling P98,000,000, non-tax revenues – P380,357,719, and Internal Revenue Allotment – P3,993,337,346.
Lacson the pandemic has caused an economic loss of P9.57 billion to Negros Occidental./PN
