ILOILO – After seven months of delay, the province’s 2019 budget was finally approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
Yesterday afternoon, SP members voted unanimously.
The approved budget was P3,645,412,733 – P66,840,000 less than the originally proposed P3,712,252,733.
The budget’s General Fund reached P2,680,615,733 while that for Local Economic Enterprise was P964,797,000.
The SP slashed by P66,840,000 the originally proposed General Fund of P2,747,455,733, citing some unutilized budget of several capitol offices in 2018.
Here’s the breakdown of the approved General Fund:
* maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) – P899,029,954 (down from the original proposal of P953,869,954)
* capital outlay – P10,670,000 (down from the proposed P22,670,000)
The SP’s appropriations committee chaired by Provincial Board member Dorothy Paes had been slow in scrutinizing the 2019 budget. It was submitted in October 2018 yet.
Paes was a political ally of Cong. Ferjenel Biron (4th District) who ran for governor in the recent midterm elections but lost to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.’s son, Cong. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. of the 3rd District./PN
