The Negros Occidental Provincial Board unanimously approved the P3.5 billion 2018 budget recently during their regular session.

According to Board Member Salvador Escalante, Jr., who chairs the budget committee, the body did not “dwell on the amounts,” reiterating the 23 percent reduction in maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), as ordered by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr.

During the earlier budget hearing, he admitted some department heads asked about the possibility of restoring their MOOE budget. Escalante explained that is for the Office of the Governor to decide.

He added, there were also recommendations like speeding up the hiring process to fill the  vacant positions, especially in hospitals./DGB, WDJ