The provincial board of Negros Occidental unanimously approved the P4.3 billion budget of the provincial government during its regular session yesterday.

On motion by Board Member Rommel Debulgado, chair of the Committee on Budget and Finance, the budget underwent public hearing for three weeks, wherein the departments, offices and programs defended their proposed budgets.

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said their timeline in passing the budget was followed so it was approved on time.

The 2020 budget underwent a “thorough deliberation,” Ferrer said.

Next year’s budget increased by P271 million, he said, adding that these can be attributed to an increase in income and the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the provincial government.

“The increase in budget means better, more services and projects for our constituents,” the vice governor said.

Ferrer also thanked the board members for their cooperation during the budget deliberations.

Of the P4.3 billion budget, a total of P2.1 million will go to personal services, P780 million to maintenance and other operating expenses and P1.2 million to special purpose appropriations.

The proposed General Fund for 2020 is P4.2 billion, and P121 million will come from Economic Enterprise Department operations.

The proposed general fund budget for 2020 will come from tax revenue of P98,000,000, non tax revenue of P379,957,719 million and the Internal Revenue Allotment of P3,725,935,964 for a total of P4,203,893,683./ASC, WDJ