Baguio City Hall facade (PNA file photo by Romeo Gonzales)
BAGUIO CITY – The city government will operate with a PHP2.42 billion budget in 2023.
The city council approved next year's spending measure in its Dec. 19 session and was signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Dec. 21, information officer Jordan Habbiling said in a press release Friday.
Based on data provided by the city government, the General Services Office got the lion's share of the budget with PHP402.54 million
This office handles the city’s garbage collection effort that is hauled to an engineered sanitary landfill in Capas, Tarlac.
Next is the Health Services Office with PHP283.65 million; Development Fund with PHP238.39 million; City Engineering Office with PHP170.23 million; Social Welfare and Development Office with PHP123.19 million and Disaster Fund with PHP115.69 million.
The Parks Management Office has been given a PHP101.67 million budget. It takes care of the beautification, maintenance, and improvement of the parks among which is the Botanical Garden which was recently approved to impose higher entrance fees for the upkeep of all the parks in the city.
As traffic congestion remains a problem in the city, PHP60 million was also allotted for the right-of-way recovery effort, reclaiming public places that are needed for the public’s use. This includes the recovery of sidewalks and roadsides for the widening of the roads.
Aside from the regular offices of the city sharing in the city’s annual budget, several national government offices like the Baguio City Police Office are also being funded by the city government.
A PHP65 million budget was also allocated for smart city operations and research and innovation.
The 2023 budget is 4.93 percent or PHP114 million higher than the 2022 budget which was PHP2.309 billion.
The city government’s National Tax Allotment (NTA) is pegged at PHP1,166,994,609.
The city’s budget is also based on an estimated PHP552,100,000 tax revenue for the year, PHPP391,687,000 estimated non-tax revenue for this year; PHP200 million share from Philippine Economic Zones; and PHP3 million share from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Habbiling said the council also took into consideration the PHP110 million savings that they have allotted for utilization in 2023 despite the drop of PHP197 million or 14 percent of the city’s NTA share.
Habbiling said the council also took into consideration the implementation of the devolution transition fund amounting to PHP127 million which will affect the City’s Health Services Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Veterinary and Agriculture Office and the Public Employment and Services Office of the City Mayor’s Office. (PNA)
