The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved a P348,392,739 supplemental budget, the bulk of which was allocated to meet the shortfall in the province’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) for 2023, during its regular session on Tuesday, April 25.
The MOOE funds of the various departments of the provincial government were reduced by 70 percent in the 2023 annual budget because of a drop in the provincial government’s share of the National Tax Allotment, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The additional funds from the supplemental budget will meet their needs for gasoline, supplies and travel allowances to enable them to be more responsive, he said.
Funds were also allocated for the operations of the provincial government hospitals and special purpose appropriations.
The supplemental budget was sourced from the P392,093,645 savings of the provincial government from 2022.
The unappropriated balance of P43,700, 906 will be used for other projects of the province, including its El Niño mitigating measures and local government unit projects, Diaz said.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is asking for an allocation of P15 million to mitigate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon but specifics on the projects and areas to be covered are needed, Diaz said.*