The 2013 budget became the point of contention in Friday’s Provincial Board session where Board Members Jessica Villanueva Koppin and Rodrigo Alanano were locked in some serious discussion about the Governor’s intelligence funds.
Gov. Roel Degamo had earlier proposed a P1.415 billion budget for 2013, which was sent to the Provincial Board for enactment into law.
The Provincial Board’s approval of the budget is needed before the executive department could make expenditures based on the new budget.
Under the Governor’s proposed budget, a total of P1.1 billion will be funded by the Internal Revenue Allotment, which is the share of the Province from the national revenues.
The balance of over P300,000 will be sourced from revenues from the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital and the Talay Rehabilitation Center, local taxes and rentals from the Lamberto Macias Sports and Cultural Center and the Negros Oriental Convention Center.
But should the Provincial Board fail to pass the Ordinance approving the budget, the Province of Negros Oriental will have to reenact last year’s budget.
“This would mean there would be no salary increase for all employees,” said Provincial Administrator Arnel Francisco. The last tranche of the mandatory salary increase based on the proposed 2013 budget is to be implemented by January, Francisco said.
