BACOLOD CITY — The Negros Occidental provincial government has proposed an annual budget of PHP4.004 billion for 2019 while Bacolod City has pegged its own at PHP2.52 billion.
Second District Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., chairman of the Provincial Board’s committee on appropriation, budget and finance, said Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado will present the detailed items during the session next Wednesday.
The bulk of the appropriation will probably go to personnel services with the scheduled implementation of the fourth tranche of the salary standardization law next year, he added.
“Initially, our budget for next year is pegged at PHP4.004 billion subject to perusal of the Provincial Board,” Escalante said.
The figure is higher by about 14 percent than 2018’s PHP3.5 billion.
Over at the capital city of Bacolod, the City Council on Wednesday passed on first reading the city’s proposed budget of PHP2.52 billion for 2019.
The amount increased by 12 percent compared to the previous year’s PHP2.25 billion.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, who chairs the City Council committee on appropriations and finance, said 50 percent of the funds will come from the city’s Internal Revenue Allotment share of PHP1.26 billion while the local sources will contribute PHP1.258 billion.
Like the province, Bacolod has also allocated funds for the implementation of the salary standardization of government employees next year.
In 2019, about PHP660 million of the city’s budget will go to personnel services. (Erwin Nicavera and Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
