A P375-million budget for 2007, P18 million or 5% higher than last year’s approved budget, was submitted on Monday by the Office of Mayor Benjamin Lim to the Sanggunian Panlungsod for approval.

The biggest chunk of the proposed budget, agriculture (P4 million), environment and natural resources (P19 million), and infrastructure maintenance and operations (P32 million).

Health, Nutrition and Population Control is given an allocation of P24 million, representing 6% of the total budget, while P15 million or 4% is provided for the delivery of social services and welfare for the province’s poorest of the poor.

The proposed 5% increase in the budget did not come unexpected since it is referred to as “election budget”, 2007 being a scheduled election year.

Mayor Lim said of the total proposed amount, only around P168 million or 48% will be derived from Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

“From a high of around 70% to 75% a few years ago, we have broken the 50% barrier, a result of our firm resolve to gradually break from heavy dependence on the IRA,” said Lim in a letter attached to the budget proposal.

On revenue collection, Lim said the projected income from local taxes next year is estimated at P138 million, higher than the current year’s P123 million, which represents 11% of the total tax collection.

However, he did not explain in detail the where and how 52% of the projected revenues will be sourced in the light of the City Treasurer’s recent admission that the city government is falling critically short of its target revenue collections from the new market this year.

Lim merely indicated that one of the revenue-generating measures that they will undertake in order to fund the various projects and programs of the city government is to enhance tax collection efforts.

A P19-million calamity fund is being set aside while aid for the city’s 31 barangays is pegged at P1,131,000.

Debt servicing will eat up P72, higher by a P1 million compared to last year. The Land Bank of the Philippines and Privatization Management Office will receive P62 million and P10 million, respectively. The total amount represents 19% of total revenue resources, well within 20% limitation prescribed under the law.

Lim said priority programs next year include environmental sanitation, health and social services, tourism and investment promotion, fisheries development, cultural revival, security and protective services, flood mitigation and control, capacity building, and revenue generation and economic enterprise.

      “This budget proposal manifests our determination to lay a strong foundation for a greater and progressive city,” Lim said. — AQL

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments