Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, chair of the Committee on Appropriations of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) says they hope to start deliberations on the proposed PHP2.3 billion 2019 executive budget of Iloilo City by Oct. 8, 2018.
ILOILO CITY -- The city government here is eyeing a PHP2.319-billion budget in 2019, a slight increase than its PHP2.212-billion budget this year.
The proposed budget is now at the office of Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, chair of the committee on appropriations of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council), for perusal and has yet to be submitted to the council for deliberation.
“We have just received it two days ago. I think we will start (deliberation) on Oct. 8,” Peñaredondo said.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III, in his transmittal message, said more than 56.2 percent of the fund will be sourced from the local taxes, equivalent to PHP1.303 billion; and 43.4 percent from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), worth PHP1.005 billion. Some PHP10 million or 4 percent was attributed to the city government’s share in the economic zone.
Under his administration, Espinosa said general services were given the chunk of the budget with 51.3 percent; social services, 32.2 percent; and economic services, 16.5 percent.
Of the total budget, personnel services got 34.5 percent, equivalent to PHP799.332 million; Miscellaneous and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), 29.4 percent or PHP683.10 million; special purpose appropriation, PHP812.133 million; and capital outlay with only PHP24 million.
On the other hand, the Local Economic Enterprise Office is targeting a PHP77.172 million, 2.7 percent higher than this year’s PHP75.138 million.
“There is only so much we can do for our community in a year but what is important is that our people will be able (to see) tangible changes in our government,” Espinosa said.
Meanwhile, Peñaredondo assured that the budget deliberations would not be affected by the political affiliations of the members of the local council.
“There is no question to the budget,” he assured. (PNA)
