BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental will have a P4-billion budget for 2019.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the allocation on third and final reading during a regular session Wednesday.
It took only almost a month of deliberations before the budget was passed – the “earliest” in nine years – according to Provincial Board member Salvador Escalante.
They were trying to avoid restrictions that the 2019 midterm election period may impose, said Escalante, chairman of the committee on finance.
This year’s budget was only P3.6 billion.
Under the 2019 budget, P2,073,919,606 was allocated for Personnel Services while P755,563,077 was set aside for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.
Special Project Allocations got P1,172,435,347, which will cover priority programs, projects and activities under the Negros First Development Agenda of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.
The Agenda is consistent with the province’s 2019 Annual Investment Program and in accordance with the national government’s development plans, Escalante said.
Meanwhile provincial government departments and offices were already preparing purchase requests for approval by January next year.
The election period, which will prohibit major government procurements, starts March next year./PN
