NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday, September 22, that he proposes for a P5.1 billion provincial budget for 2023.

Lacson said the proposed budget is lower by P760 million than this year's budget because of the reduction of P780 million in the National Tax Allotment (NTA) of the province next year.

The rest of the budget is locally generated, he said.

The proposed budget was received by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer last week after it was submitted by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II.

Ferrer assured that the budget will be deliberated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and will be approved on time.

Lacson earlier revealed that the Maintenance and Operating Expenses of the province would be affected by the 14 percent reduction in the province's NTA for next year.

For its capital, Bacolod City, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is proposing an annual budget of about P3.250 billion for next year.

“The proposed budget is the same as this year’s annual budget,” he added.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier announced that the NTA, formerly known as Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), share of local government units (LGUs) will be reduced next year.

In Bacolod City, the mayor said the city’s NTA will be reduced by P300 million.

“So our share from the national government from P2 billion will be reduced to P1.7 billion, so we will have a reduction of P300 million in 2023. We compensated this by reducing the number of job orders,” he added. *