Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Wednesday, Sept. 4, that he is a proposing a P4.4 billion 2025 budget for Bacolod City, with the largest allocation set for social services.
Benitez along with city department heads and officials, including Rep. Greg Gasataya, just returned from Thailand where they deliberated on the budget.
The mayor said the budget proposal will be submitted to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for review and approval.
He said they are proposing an increase in the budget for the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program to about P150 million.
Also among the priorities for funding are the Bayad Agad program, funeral assistance and the Assistance to Individuals In Crisis Situations, he said.
The city government’s digitalization plan is also a priority, he said.
Bacolod’s National Tax Allotment for 2025 will be P2.2 billion, an increase by P352 million.
The rest of the 2025 budget of the Bacolod City government will come from increased local revenue collection, Benitez said.*