"GIVEN the circumstances right now, it is important that at the start of the year, the annual budget is already in place."
This was stressed by Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson as he expressed gratitude to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and the entire Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for approving the proposed 2022 annual budget amounting to P5.7 billion on Tuesday, November 16.
Lacson said that Negros Occidental’s annual expenditure program was designed to better address the exigent concerns of the province.
"Our continuing battle with coronavirus disease (Covid-19) resulted in disruptions of our day-to-day operations, adversely affecting business operations and endangered our health and well-being," the governor also said.
The governor stressed that such a crisis resulted in a shift in our priorities and spending policies and at this point, the provincial government’s primary goal is to recover and get back on track under the new normal.
In his letter to the Provincial Board on October 13, 2021, Lacson stated the salient portions and flagship programs of his administration for next year.
A big chunk of the budget being eyed for 2022 will go to Special Purpose Appropriations (SPA), pegged at P2,142,140,592 or 37.45 percent of the total proposed fund.
The SPA includes appropriations for gender, disaster, peace and order, and other special concerns and sectors, he said.
For Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), the governor is allotting P1,812, 481, 024, or 31.69 percent of the proposed budget while Personal services comprise 36.05 percent of the allocation amounting to P1,752,715,730 while the capital outlay is 21 percent worth P12,000,000.
Under the personal services, a total of P1,143,071,636 or 65.22 percent is allotted for the social services sector; P344, 765, 598, or 19. 67 percent for the general public services sector; and P264, 878,496 or 15. 11 percent for the economic services sector.
A total of P183, 846,174.37 was appropriated for the operation of the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD).*