By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – The Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental unanimously approved the province’s proposed PHP6.45-billion budget for 2025 during its regular session yesterday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said PHP6.203 billion of the budget will be allocated to the General Fund Proper, while PHP254.454 million will go to the Economic Enterprise Development Department, a special account under the General Fund.
The 2025 budget is 18.8 percent higher than the previous year’s PHP5.43 billion, reflecting an increase of PHP1.022 billion.
The rise is attributed to the province’s higher share from the National Tax Allotment.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the 2025 Executive Budget underscores the administration’s commitment to fully realize its seven-point development agenda, “Abanse Negrense.”
“It has been carefully crafted to guide us in our pursuit of sustained progress and development, with a focus on achieving a Negrense-brand of good governance and growth,” Lacson said.
He added that the budget was formulated with strict adherence to fiscal reforms, ensuring resources are optimized to achieve the provincial government’s goals and objectives for the province and its residents.
A series of committee meetings were held last week before the Sanggunian tackled the 2025 annual budget.
