By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)
City of Batac—As the Christmas season goes into high gear the New Year beckons, four local government units in the province said they will have a reduction of their annual budgets in 2023 compared to this year.
Batac Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Atty. Windell D. Chua said this city will have a decrease of PHP70 million for next year compared to the current budget.
From the PHP903,677,575.48 2020 annual budget, the Batac council only approved PHP833,473,836.08 for the 2023 annual budget.
Among the major reasons for the decrease, Chua said, was the National Tax Allocation (NTA) share reduction wherein the city government here had PHP 107 million less, or 14.46%, from their last year’s share.
Chua promised though that services offered by the city government, particularly in the agricultural sector, health, social welfare and infrastructure projects will not be affected, adding only the budget for capital outlays will be impacted by the budget reduction.
“Iti pagsayaatan na langen ket adda tay RA 7171 wennu tay [tobacco] excise tax share tayo a mabalin a mangsoposop to dagitay pagkurkurangan tayo a nayon iti serbisyo a maipadanun kadagiti kalugaran tayo,” Chua noted.
Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua, for his part, said the budget approved was in accordance with the guidelines set forth under the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Local Budget Memorandum No. 85 dated June 15, 2022.
The budget incorporates the programs, projects and activities under the eight-point Socioeconomic Agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. which includes food security, improved transportation, affordable and clean energy, health care, social services, education, bureaucratic efficiency and sound fiscal management that ensures the continuity and sustainability of developmental plans with good formulation, harmonization and synchronization.
Dingras 2023 budget goes down by P26M
In Dingras, Mayor Jeofrey Saguid also announced that their 2023 annual budget approved by the Sangguniang Bayan is only PHP126 million, or PHP26 million less compared to this year’s PHP152 million budget.
Saguid saidgasoline and electricity expenses will be greatly affected and some casual employees might be sacrificed in case the budget cannot accommodate them all.
However, the mayor believes that everything will go back to normal in case they find sufficient budget.
Solsona has P20M less budget
In Solsona, acting Mayor Jonathan De Lara likewise announced that their 2023 annual budget has already been approved; but it was PHP20 million less from this year’s budget.
De Lara, who took a swipe at the previous Sanggunian Bayan members for delaying the passage of the 2022 budget, said next year’s budget was passed with any issues and delay.
He added that this year’s PHP183 million is PHP20 million more than next year’s allocations.
In view of this, De Lara said they will still prioritize services in the field of agriculture in the budget, as well as the health and other sectors.
Despite of the decrease, the acting mayor thanked the national government, senators and the congressman for giving infrastructure projects for Solsona including the Solsona-Apayao Road and the View Deck development and rehabilitation for next year as requested by Solsona Mayor Joseph De Lara.
Marcos town budget also less for next year
Marcos Mayor Antonio Mariano also said that their budget for next year has been approved and now at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for review and final approval.
Though the mayor could not remember the exact amount of their next year’s budget, he said that there was a decrease compared to this year.
“Ngem uray man kasanu kinabassit nat budget mi no laketdi no maiday-day a nasayaat ket adda pakakitaan,” Mariano stressed.