By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)
Laoag City—The city
government of Laoag has proposed PHP910,121,177.48 million annual budget for
2021, an amount lower compared to this year’s budget of PHP928,331,364.63, or a
decrease of PHP18 million or 1.96 percent.
The local finance committee said the proposed 2021 budget was a
result of a “thorough study, review and evaluation” on the proposals of the
different offices of the city government.
According to the said committee, the decrease was due to the
effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which slowed
collections on local sources since the national government declared a public
health emergency in March 2020.
The economy started to slow down as a result of the sudden
closure of business establishments and other sources of income.
The budget was adopted using the mechanism of a participatory
budgeting to “ensure prudent, transparent and accountable allocation and use of
the public funds to improve the quality of life of each and every Laoagueño”.
The proposed budget the city government officials continued, “will
convert into reality Laoag City’s vision for reform and development as it
allocates the PPAs in the Annual Investment Program (AIP) of all sectors,
hence, it was made sure that the budget is linked to harmonize plans and
policies in order to optimize the utilization of the city’s limited resources”.
The city government aims to achieve its goals and objectives in
its priority projects like infrastructure, health, agriculture, tourism and
sports that will empower the people of Laoag synchronized with the city
government’s thrust for “Baro A Laoag”.
During the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s regular session, the proposed
budget was entertained for first reading sponsored by the committee on finance,
which Laoag vice mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito M. Lazo
scheduled the budget hearings starting on the first week of November.
Mr. Lazo said that the council needs to scrutinize the budget, especially
those for the four economic enterprises: Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH),
Laoag City Public Market, Laoag City Slaughterhouse and the Laoag City Central
Terminal.
The vice mayor hopes that the proposed budget will be passed on
or before December 1, 2020.
The proposed budget covers the various expenditures for the
operation of the city government starting January 1 to December 31, 2021 and
for other purposes.
The estimated net available resources amounting to PHP910,123,692.72
was declared as sources of funds which is reflected in the duly certified
statement of receipts program under the general fund and economic enterprise in
the amounts of PHP727,445,653.85 and PHP182,678,038.87, respectively.
In the proposed annual budget, the city government appropriated
subsidies for LCGH, and central terminal in the amounts of PHP43,530,051 and PHP5,637,136.53,
respectively.
Likewise, the city engineering office, mayor’s office, city general
services office, city health office and the SP-legislative office have the
highest proposed budgets under the city government offices.
While the offices of the city cemetery, city administrator, environment,
PDAO and the media has the least proposed budget.
However, city budget officer-in-charge Nelda Casas announced an
increase in the city’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) share from PHP557,107,607
for 2020 to PHP593,997,402 for 2021.
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