The executive department of the Provincial Government of Bohol has proposed a smaller annual budget for the year 2023.
According to Provincial Budget Office Peter Retutal, the Capitol under Governor Aris Aumentado is pushing for a budget of P3.4 billion for 2023, approximately 8 percent lower compared to this year’s P4.1 billion.
Retutal attributed the lowered budget to the sharp decline of the province’s National Tax Allocation (NTA).
The NTA decreased by 14.47 percent or lower by P477 million.
“Almost half a billion ang na reduce sa NTA, tapos naa pa gyud tay slight decrease sa atong projected revenues as seen by the Local Finance Committee so mao ng reason na ni ubos atong budget,” Retutal said.
A total of 81 percent of the province’s budget for 2023 will come from the NTA while local revenues will comprise the remaining 19 percent.
The total budget will be allocated to the expense classes based on the following:
- Personal services – 29 percent
- Maintenance and other Operating expenses – 30 percent
- Capital outlay – 1 percent
- Regular programs and projects – 21 percent
- Development fund – 14 percent
- DRRM fund – 4 percent
- Special purpose – 1 percent
According to Retutal, the proposed budget has been transmitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
The legislative body is scheduled to conduct a four-day marathon budget hearing next week. (ad)