THE Negros Occidental Provincial Board approved three supplemental budgets worth P426.179 million during their regular session Wednesday.
The first appropriation was Supplemental Budget No. 1 of the Hospital Operations Department (HOD) worth P403.555 million.
Second District Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., chairman of SP committee on appropriations, budget, finance, ways and means, said P288 million of the appropriation is intended for the inter-fund transfer to General Fund.
Part of the appropriation was also earmarked for the purchase of medical equipment worth P15 million and information and communication technology equipment worth P5 million.
Escalante said the procurement of medical equipment for the 11 Capitol-run hospitals is part of the provincial government’s “modernization” in delivering health services.
He added that medical equipment like X-rays that are three years old and above will be replaced.
Also approved was Supplemental Budget No. 1 of the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) amounting to P20.837 million.
The appropriation will be sourced from the government equity, or savings, in 2016.
Of the amount, P17 million will be earmarked for furniture and fixtures of the hotel and tourist lodge at Mambukal Resort in Murcia town while P3 million was allocated for the resort’s janitorial services, airconditioned canopy, electricity expenses, and installation of transformer.
The Provincial Board also approved Supplemental Budget No. 1 of the General Fund worth P289.786 million.
It will be sourced from the HOD inter-fund transfer and government equity in 2016 amounting to P1.786 million.
The appropriation was intended for programs and projects of various offices and departments of the provincial government including grants, donations, and subsidy to local government units.
Also included in the allocation was the Peace and Order Fund worth P20 million, and the budget for Panaad sa Negros Festival amounting to P8 million.