THE Iloilo City Council approved on December 5 the City Government's budget for 2018 amounting to P2.2 billion.

“More or less, the priorities are the same as that of the 2017 budget. We just made a little adjustment,” said Mayor Jose Espinosa III.

The 2018 budget is higher by 10.6 percent compared to the 2017 estimated budget, as there is no actual expenditures for the 2017, said Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, chairman on committee on appropriations.

The sum of next year’s budget is divided into Special Purpose Appropriation amounting to P797,169,087 or 36 percent; Personnel Service, which amounted to P718,098,780 or 32.5 percent; Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses amounting to P672,937,865 or 30.4 percent; and Capital Outlay with P24,434,309 or 1.1 percent. (PR)