Negros Occidental SP wraps up talks on PHP 7.6B budget

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental has concluded committee-level deliberations on the proposed PHP 7,618,490,053 budget for 2026.

The proposal will be presented for further discussion during the regular session of the Provincial Board today, Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

First District Board Member Laurence Marxlen Dela Cruz, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, Budget, and Appropriations, confirmed that while the initial review has been completed, the proposal will still undergo further scrutiny before it reaches third and final reading.

He emphasized that the budget remains open to revisions, especially in light of recent damages caused by Typhoon Tino, which affected several towns and cities across the province.

Dela Cruz noted the need to realign allocations, saying the province must ensure that “recovery, disaster response, and rehabilitation efforts are sufficiently funded” in the upcoming fiscal year.

The proposed 2026 budget represents a PHP 1.1 billion or 17.98 percent increase from the current year’s PHP 6.457 billion allocation.

The increase reflects the provincial government’s intent to intensify investment in key areas such as social services, infrastructure, agriculture, health care, and disaster management.

In the aftermath of successive weather disturbances in 2024 and 2025, including the recent onslaught of Typhoon Tino, provincial officials are prioritizing post-disaster recovery.

The budget also includes upgrades to provincial hospitals and other health facilities, which have been identified as essential components of the province’s development strategy.

Other highlights in the spending plan include continued infrastructure rollout under the Abanse Negrense development agenda and sustained support for pandemic recovery programs.

The proposal also targets enhanced disaster preparedness and climate resilience, a response to the increasingly frequent and intense natural calamities affecting the province.

With rising demand for services and the growing need for climate-adaptive development, the proposed 2026 budget is considered vital for ensuring Negros Occidental’s ability to meet both emergency response and long-term development goals.