THE Bacolod City Council approved on its third and final reading the P2.52 billion annual budget for 2019.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the 2019 budget was approved during the regular session on Monday, December 3.
The budget next year is 12 percent higher, or P270 million more than the budget in 2018, he added.
Those who voted in favor of the appropriation were Councilors Caesar Distrito, Cindy Rojas, Em Ang, Renecito Novero, Dindo Ramos, Bartolome Orola, Elmer Sy, Ana Marie Palermo, Sonya Verdeflor, Lady Gles Gonzales-Pallen, and Ayesha Joy Villaflor.
Familiaran said that Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. abstained while Councilors Ricardo Tan and Claudio Puentevella were on leave.
Distrito earlier said that 50 percent of the budget will come from the Internal Revenue Allotment amounting to P1.26 billion and the local sources amounting to P1.258 billion.
He said the bulk of the budget, or P 1.33 billion, will be allocated to the maintenance and other operating expenses; and P660 million to personnel services; P252 million to the development fund; P81.7 million to equipment expenses; P7.9 million for financial expenses; and P184 million for other purposes.
“It prioritizes health services, the solid waste management, social welfare services, public order and safety, anti-drug campaign as in line with the national thrust, improvement of traffic management, economic and infrastructure development, tourism and importantly, for education,” he added.
All the department heads earlier defended their budget proposals which includes the General Services with the proposed budget of P53.9 million; the City Library, P4.5 million; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, P12.4 million; Register of Deeds, P687,000; Public Affairs and Assistance Division; City Prosecutors Office, P1.32 million; Metropolitan Trial Court, P581,000; City Treasurer’s Office; Regional Trial Court, P1.29 million;Bacolod City Police Office, P4.4 million; Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, P1.2 million; Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, P67 million; City Budget Office, P11.99 million; Human Resource Management Services, P7.62 million; City Assessor, P180 million; City Legal Office, P25.2 million; the Civil Registrar, P12.44 million; City Planning and Development Office, P18.59 million; City Administrator’s Office, P6.38 million; City Accountants Office, P15.8 million; Management and Audit Services Office, P5.7 million; City Treasurer Landtax Division, P15.5 million; City Treasurer License Division, P24.1 million; City Treasurer Cash Division, P15.3 million; and City Treasurer Admin Division, P12.3 million.
Also part of the appropriation was the Chicken Inasal Festival with a proposed budget of P2 million; Diwali Festival, P500,000; and the MassKara Festival, P4 million with an additional P6.5 million for the participants of the barangay, school, and electric MassKara categories.
Some of the funds were also allocated for the Public Wifi Project with a proposed budget of P2 million; sports program, P5 million; and the miscellaneous fees for public schools, P5 million. (MAP)