By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Board Member and Committee on Finance and Appropriations chairman Romel Debulgado said yesterday that the proposed P5.1 billion provincial budget for 2023 is “justified.”

According to him, he will present the proposed budget before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on December 6 for the second and final reading, and expects the budget will be approved.

The proposed budget for next year is lower by 12.87 percent, which is equivalent to P766 million, compared to the budget this year, due to reduction of the province’s National Tax Allotment in all local government units.

The proposed General Fund Budget for next year is P4,952,981,428, while the proposed budget of its Economic Enterprise Development Department amounts to P190,379,525.

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer earlier said most of the proposed budget is focused on the province’s food security and health services./DGB, WDJ