The Office of the City Mayor has submitted to the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod the proposed budget of P1.230 billion for 2013 for its deliberation and approval.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said the budget is double that of 2004 when he came back as mayor, which was then only P614 million.

He said the budget for 2013 is about P105 million more than this year's budget or an increase of about 8 to 9 percent.

Leonardia said “It is a rebound of sorts from the budget that we had last year, that was affected by the creation of 16 new cities which caused the reduction in the Internal Revenue Allotment of existing cities.

This was reflected in the budget of the previous year, he said. “But we have recovered, and, in a sense, have regularized the budget,” he added.

Leonardia said he believes that in the future, barring another creation of new cities, the future of Bacolod will be smooth and the chances of its budget continuing to be vibrant are quite good, because the present administration believes that it has already set the infrastructures and the foundations to help the local economy to grow.

“I think the budget is a reflection of the business climate in Bacolod City and, in effect, it has validated the awards and recognitions that were bestowed on the city in the recent past,” he said.

This is concrete evidence that Bacolod indeed, is moving forward and is surging ahead, he added.

Leonardia said that, with the 2013 budget, the city will implement the fourth and last tranche of the salary standardization law which will cost it about P40 million.

He said they are also considering more benefits for the teachers that will be charged to the General Fund because there is a rule now that the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF) is limited to a certain program.

Leonardia said that, with the little time left, he and his fellow officials hope to, at least, start the infrastructure they plan to implement, like a new building for the Bacolod City College, and the Education and Training Center School.*CGS

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