The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on third and final reading Bacolod City’s P2.6 billion budget for 2021 this afternoon, December 9, Councilor Cindy Rojas, SP Committee on Appropriations and Finance chair, said.
She said 59 percent of the budget will come from the P1,533,040,528 Internal Revenue Allotment share of Bacolod City and 41 percent or P1,066,959, 472 from local sources.
The P2.6 billion is P400 million or 13 percent less than this year’s P3 billion budget, she said.
The decrease was caused by a drop in tax payments with numerous businesses affected by the pandemic, she said.
The Department of Budget and Management sent the city a letter that all local governments should cut their budgets to as much as 35 percent, she added.
At least the Bacolod budget only had to be decreased by 13 percent, Rojas said.
City government departments were advised to reduce their budgets for next year, with almost all travel expenses slashed, she added.
Some training expenses were also cut, Rojas said.
These will not hamper the services of the city government, she assured.
However, the budgets of departments involved in the fight against COVID-19, like the City Health Office and social services, have been increased, she said.*