Bacolod department heads defend proposed budget

DEPARTMENT heads in Bacolod City defended their budget proposal during the public hearing on the proposed P3-billion annual budget for 2020 at the city council Monday, November 4.

Councilor Cindy Rojas, chairperson of the city council committee on appropriation and finance, said Tuesday, November 5, some of the departments noted a big increase on their budget proposal such as Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) with a proposed budget of P8 million from P4.4 million this year or with an increase of 44.5 percent.

She said the budget proposal of City Health Office (CHO) also increased by 15 percent from P143 million this year to P169 million; Bacolod City College from P51 million this year to P59 million or 13 percent increase; Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) from P61 million in 2019 to P78 million or 21.5 percent increase; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) from P13 million this year to P19.5 million or 31 percent increase; Bacolod Housing Authority (BHA) from P18 million this year to P22.4 million or 19 percent increase. Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) from P67 million this year to P75.8 million or 11.3 percent increase.

“There were increases on their budget proposals to purchase more equipment, medicine, and the salary of personnel among others,” she added.

Rojas said they conducted the budget hearing since last week and it will be submitted to the City Council’s regular session today for the approval of the committee report.

This year, Bacolod City has a total of P2.52 billion annual budget. Its 2019 budget is 12 percent higher, or P270 million more than in 2018.

50 percent of the budget comes from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) amounting to P1.26 billion and local sources amounting to P1.258 billion.

The bulk of the budget, P1.33 billion, were allocated to maintenance and other operating expenses, 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.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier said for the first time ever, their budget is going to reach P3 billion.

He said he finds it significant and sentimental because it was during his term when the city reached the first P1-billion budget in 2008, its major feature being the local income which constitutes 52 percent and is now bigger than the IRA at 48 percent. (MAP)

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