By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental has finally approved on third and final reading the P5.9 billion budget of the province for 2022 during their regular session on Tuesday.

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said they approved the P5,719,337,346 2022 annual budget, as well as the P188,846,174 budget for the Economic Enterprise Development Department.

The approval of the budget was unanimous.

The next task for the SP is to endorse the 2022 Annual Budget to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, which is now ahead of the initial deadline of between the end of November and early December.

A big chunk of the proposed P5,719,337,346 budget for 2022 will go to Special Purpose Appropriations (SPA) pegged at P2,142,140,592 or 37.45 percent.

For Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), a total of P1,812,481,024 or 31.69 percent is allotted; personal services at P1,752,715,730 or 30.65 percent of the budget; and capital outlay at P12,000,000 or .21 percent.

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./DGB, WDJ