BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A member of the Negros Occidental Provincial Board said yesterday morning that the proposed P5.1 billion 2023 provincial budget is “justified”.
According to 1st District Provincial Board member Rommel, chairman of the committee on finance and appropriations, he will present the proposed budget before the Provincial Board on Dec. 6 for the second and final reading.
Debulgado is expecting the budget to be approved and immediately used by January of next year.
The proposed budget is P766 million lower than the 2022 budget due to the reduction of the province’s National Tax Allotment (NTA), which is being experienced by all local government units across the country.
The proposed General Fund Budget for next year is P4,952,981,428 while the proposed budget of its Economic Enterprise Development Department amounts to P190,379,525.
Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer earlier said most of the proposed budget is focused on the province’s food security and health services./PN
