The Bacolod City government distributed 9,800 face shields to the vendors at the Burgos, Central and Libertad public markets; flower market; Manokan Country; and to the public utility jeepneys, tricycle and trisikad drivers. The face shields came from the city disaster risk reduction and management office. The Sangguniang Panlungsod recently passed City Ordinance 944 that requires the mandatory use of face shields in certain places in the city. (Bacolod City PIO photos)

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) will approve the 2021 provincial budget today.

Ferrer said that the SP has already conducted the budget deliberations.

“It could be approved today for the second to the third and final reading,” he said.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has submitted a proposed P4.4 billion for next year.

The proposed budget for next year is up by more than P200 million compared to the 2020 budget.

Ferrer earlier said they wanted to fast track the approval of the proposed budget since the funds are needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposed 2021 general fund budget is P4,471,695,065, with P1,641,424,244 allocated for personal services; maintenance and other operating expenses – P1,374,658,871; capital outlay – P12,000,000; and special purpose appropriations – P1,443,611,950.

Of the P4.4 billion proposed budget, P3,993,337,346 comes from the Internal Revenue Allotment; P98,000,000 from tax revenues; and P380,357, 719 from non tax-revenues./DGB, WDJ