NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said Monday, Septemberv 26, that the proposed provincial budget for year 2023 would be approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) either last week of November or first week of December this year.

Ferrer said the proposed budget submitted by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson amounting to P5.1 billion is expected to be referred to the SP’s Committee on Finance and Appropriations Tuesday, September 27, 2022, for deliberation.

The committee is chaired by First District Board Member Rommel Debulgado.

Heads of different departments will be called during the budget hearings to defend their respective allocations.

Lacson earlier said the proposed budget for 2023 is lower by P760 million than this year's budget because of the reduction of P780 million in the province’s National Tax Allotment (NTA) next year.

The Maintenance and Operating Expenses of the province would be affected by the 14 percent reduction in the province's NTA, formerly called Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), he said, adding that the rest of the budget is locally generated.

The proposed budget was received by Ferrer two weeks ago after it was submitted by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II.