PRESIDING officer Vice-Governor Tita V. Baja of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan banged the gavel for the approval on second reading last week the final P4,473,356,072.15 as Capitol’s budget for next year from original governor’s office proposed P4,492,429,513.75.
The approval came after a slash of estimated to be over P9 million from the original allocation of P4,492,429,513.75 and seven marathon budget hearings in past weeks, Provincial Board Member Dr. Romulo Cepedoza, chair of the appropriations committee of the provincial board.
In a bid to approve the annual budget for 2025 before the year ends, Cepedoza rendered the appropriations committee report during the regular session last week.
The budget is higher by 10% compared to this year’s allocation. The increase is mainly attributed to the estimated available resources with increased share from the national tax allocation (NTA, formerly internal revenue allotment IRA) and internally generated revenues.
Sources of funds for the said budget are being enumerated in the committee report no. 2024-05: Beginning balance, P258,329,182.75; real property tax, P68 million; tax on goods and services, P40,650,000.00; operating and miscellaneous income, P453,990,000.00; extra ordinary receipts, P31.2 million; other receipts, P82,245,425.00; capital investment receipts, P3 million; national tax allocation (NTA, formerly internal revenue allocation), P3,554,314,906.00; and share from national wealth and PCSO lotto, P700,000.00.
The expenditure programs of the provincial government are outlined hereunder: personal services (salaries/wages), P1,193,521,907.66; maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), P1,356,224,636.20; capital outlay, P112,393,746.00; office programs/projects (regular), P861,367,550.75; 20% development fund, including financial expenses, P710,862,981.20; special purposes (aid to barangays, non-office), P49,658,675.39; and 5% disaster risk reduction, P208,400,016.55.
The SP also cut the budget of the Provincial Youth Development Office for donations from P2,066,680.00 to P1.5 million; its budget for other MOOE from P11,372,473.00 to P9 million; other professional services from P4,235,390.00 to P3,200,000.00.
Other budget cuts include Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Office from P46,178,238.00 to P39,729,78.40.
The objects of the budget cut is the Provincial Information and Media Office’s other professional services and other general services from P7,820,000.00 to P3,910,000.00 and budget for radio program under cable, satellite, telegraph, radio expense from P11,133,900.00 to P10 million.
The SP has excluded the P2,800,000.00 for purchase of the vehicle. Its foreign travel was hiked from P1.2 million to P2.8 million; communications expense for BMs from P390,000.00 to 780,000.00; other general services from P24 million to P25.9 million; and additional budget of P200,000.00 for internet services.
It is expected that SP will tackle the final approval on third reading next week. (rvo)
