The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday approved a P6.2 million supplemental budget to finance the purchase of an ambulance and for salaries, Board Member Salvador Escalante said.

He said P3,060,000 is for the purchase of an ambulance and P3,145,793 will cover salaries of additional manpower needed in November and December to complete the documentation of provincial government hospital claims with PhilHealth.

The hiring of additional personnel is needed as the claims of 10 Negros Occidental hospitals from PhilHealth that must be completed before the end of the year are expected to amount to P40 to 50 million, he said.

Allotted under Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses were P70,600 for the Ignacio L. Arroyo Memorial District Hospital in Isabela, Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial Hospital in La Carlota City - P272,848,Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town - P70,600, Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City - P392,121, Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City - P141,100;

Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial Hospital in Himamaylan – P1,845,602, Calatrava District Hospital in Calatrava – P141,262, Cadiz District Hospital in Cadiz City - P94,070, Eleuterio T. Decena Memorial Hospital in Hinobaan town - P23,520, and Vicente Gustilo District Hospital in Escalante City – P94,070.

Meanwhile, Escalante said the SP Committee on Finance hearings on the proposed P2.6 billion budget of the Negros Occidental provincial government began yesterday.

Five hearings have been set every Wednesday morning but at the rate they are going it could take only four, he said.

The hearings will cover the budgets of 70 divisions of the provincial government and at the first hearing yesterday they already tackled 18, Escalante said.

One concern raised yesterday was the restoration of a legal officer 2 position that was deleted during the provincial government’s reorganization, otherwise the person holding the position will be demoted, he added.

Escalante said more fund allocations will also be needed with some casual employees now being given permanent positions.

Definitely, there will be an increase in the personnel services funds in 2015, he said.*CPG

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