SP approves P412 million
20% provincial dev’t fund
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday approved the 20 percent Provincial Development Fund of P412.2 million for 2014, and is expected to pass the P2.12 billion annual budget next week.

The 2014 estimated income of Negros Occidental is P2,295,010,888, to be sourced from the Internal Revenue Allotment of P2,041,211,388,  local income – P83,959,500, and economic enterprises – P169,840,000.

The SP also approved yesterday the 2014 Annual Investment Plan of the provincial government that includes a wish list of P11 billion in projects, Board Member Salvador Escalante, SP Committee on Budget and Finance chairman, said.

Allocates P51.9M, ups
aid for destroyed houses
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental yesterday approved the allocation P51,951,808 for assistance to victims of super typhoon Yolanda, operations of government-managed hospitals expenses and back wages, among others.

The SP, on motion of Board Member Pedro Zayco yesterday approved P35,613,000 assistance to owners of 11,871 destroyed houses in the province as endorsed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Negros Occidental.

Originally, the PDRRMC approved P22 million in assistance to owners 8,978 destroyed houses. When the provincial government announced that it would give P3,000 each to typhoon victims whose houses destroyed by Yolanda, the figured ballooned to 13,233.

Monico seeking
P94M add’l budget
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella has again requested the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass an appropriation ordinance authorizing a supplemental budget no. 2 for P94,990,800 for the “various essential needs” of the city, in the letter dated Nov. 28.

Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya explained yesterday that this is a compilation of all the appropriation ordinances passed by the SP since July as required by the Department of Budget and Management.

He said they are no longer appropriating the amount but just authorizing the supplemental budget what had already been approved by the SP, he said, and includes appropriation ordinances they had passed amounting to P50 million, P40 million, P4.8 million and P123,000.