P5.7B 2022 budget up for approval this week

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is set to approve the proposed P5.7-billion budget of the provincial government for 2022.

The approval appears to be early compared to the 2021 budget.

Ferrer said the SP is wrapping up the budget deliberations this week.

“The speedy deliberations of proposed budget this year came after the SP targeted its completion within two weeks, with major Capitol division offices having been only invited to defend their respective budgets,” he further said.

“If there are no additional proposals, they will approve the proposed budget by next week, compared to approval of 2021 budget, which was done by the final week of November last year.”

Ferrer also said that while there are some small questions in the infrastructure projects of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, it was expected due to the ongoing pandemic and weather disturbances, which is understandable.

But it is justifiable, the vice governor said.

But Ferrer said the delivery of basic services, especially the response on the pandemic, remains good.

The proposed P5.7 billion budget for 2022 increased by P1.3 billion as reported by Lacson due to the Mandanas ruling of the Supreme Court

The ruling requires all collections of the Commission on Customs and other taxes to be included in the computation of the National Tax Allotment (NTA), otherwise known as the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).