Negros Occidental’s P4.4-B budget within DBM cap

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Provincial Administrator Rayrando Diaz said the P4.4-billion budget of the Negros Occidental provincial government for 2021 is within the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) cap on Personnel Services or the salaries and benefits of capitol workers.

“It means legal ang budget, gina-disallow ang excess amount,” Diaz told Daily Guardian Thursday.

Under the proposed budget, P1,641,424,244 will be allocated for personal services, P1,374,658,871 for maintenance and other operating expenses, P12,000,000 for capital outlay and P1,443,611,950 for special purpose appropriations.

Diaz said it is the first time in six years that the provincial budget did not exceed the DBM PS cap.

He said the DBM issued adverse findings on previous budgets in the past five years.

“Sa 2021 hopefully wala na,” Diaz further said.

Pursuant to Section 325 [General Limitations] of the Local Government Code of 1991, the use of the provincial, city, and municipal funds shall be subject to the following limitation, among others:

-The total appropriations, whether annual or supplemental, for personal services of a local government unit for one (1) fiscal year shall not exceed forty-five percent (45%) in the case of first to third class provinces, cities and municipalities, and fifty-five percent (55%) in the case of fourth class or lower, of the total annual income from regular sources realized in the next preceding fiscal year;

-The appropriations for salaries, wages, representation and transportation allowances of officials and employees of the public utilities and economic enterprises owned, operated, and maintained by the local government unit concerned shall not be included in the annual budget or in the computation of the maximum amount for personal services;

-The appropriations for the personal services of such economic enterprises shall be charged to their respective budgets.

Diaz said the proposed 2021 budget meets the PS allocation which in the past exceeded the cap by P601 million.

Diaz further said that the reduction of the PS fund enabled them to increase allocations for maintenance and other operating expenses

This will enable the provincial government offices to implement their programs and activities without having to wait for supplemental budgets.

Diaz is among the first batch of department heads that participated in the deliberation of the 2021 budget by the Sanggunian Panlalawigan.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental has started this week its deliberations for the proposed P4.4 billion budget for 2021.

SP Secretary Atty. Maki Angel Ascalon said that due to the social distancing requirements, they can only accommodate a limited number of people inside the session hall, which will be restricted to department heads, board members and authorized SP staff only.

Ascalon said only department heads who are scheduled to discuss their budgets will be allowed only one companion inside the session hall.

As for those who want to monitor the proceedings, Ascalon said they will air the budget deliberations via the SP’s official Facebook page.

The P4.4 billion will come from tax revenues totaling P98,000,000; non-tax revenues of P380,357,719; and Internal Revenue Allotment of P3,993,337,346.