Two supplemental budgets for P265 million were unanimously approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental during its regular session yesterday.

The supplemental budget approved for the province's general fund was  P151,489,823.86,  and  P114,187,465 for the additional fund of the Economic Enterprises Development Department.

Board Member Salvador Escalante, chair of the SP Committee on Finance, Budget and Appropriations, said part of the supplemental budgets came from the retained earnings of P224,922,323.86 of the province in 2014.

Escalante said the passage of the supplemental budgets aims to complete the appropriations sought by the departments of the province because, when the 2015 budget of P2.654 billion was approved in December last year, many departments had financial shortages.

With the supplemental budgets, therefore, there will be enough for all the departments of the provincial government, he said.

Under the General Fund, subsidy to local government units has the highest appropriation with P35,000,000, followed by grants and donations – P18,000,000; farm mechanization project – P9,942,300; insurance for barangay tanods – P9,400,000; and electricity (General Services Office) – P9,000,000.

Also included in the appropriations under the province's general fund is the budget for the Panaad Festival 2015 which is PP4.5 million.

Meanwhile, additional work at the Cadiz and Kabankalan Hospitals worth P14,000,000 has the biggest appropriation under the EEDD supplemental fund, followed by the purchase of medical, dental and laboratory equipment, and terminal leaves of P20,000.

Also approved yesterday was the purchase of 13 M4 automatic rifles for the Negros Occidental Police Provincial office of P1.9 million.

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the firearms are worth P148,500 each and their purchase will through bidding, led by the provincial bids and awards committee.*APN

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