By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Finance and Appropriations will be conducting hearings regarding the P2.52 billion 2019 city budget after the ongoing MassKara Festival.

Committee chair, Bacolod City Councilor Caesar Distrito, said the hearing will be attended by various department heads, who will be asked if there were projects that were not implemented based on the current year’s budget. They will also be asked to defend the proposed budget for their respective offices.

Earlier this month, the SP passed the city budget on its first reading, which, according to Distrito, is higher than the previous budget by P270 million.

He noted, over half of the budget, P1.33 billion, is allocated for maintenance and other operating expenses. Another P660 million is allotted for personnel services and another P252 million for the city’s development fund.

“The budget includes the provision for salary standardization,” the city official added.

Distrito also pointed out, half of the budget will be funded by the Bacolod City’s internal revenue allotment, which is the local government unit’s share of national tax revenue./DGB, WDJ