The Iloilo City council has approved the city's annual budget for 2013 amounting to more than P1.4 billion, which is more than P200 million higher compared to the 2012 budget.

The exact budget for 2013 amounts to P1,435,769,613 which will go to the expenditure program for various departments and offices and special purpose funds under the General Fund, while the budget for this year amounts only to P1,234,933,515. 

Councilor Perla Zulueta, chairman Committee on Appropriations and Ways and Means, during last Wednesday’s session of the City Council said that the biggest chunk in the increase will go to personal services which include the implementation of the fourth and final tranche of the Salary Standardization Law in accordance with Local Budget Circular No. 2009-92 issued on Sept. 3, 2009 by the Department of Budget and Management.

The city government personnel will also enjoy about 20 to 25 percent salary increase after this.

Also included under personal services is the Personnel Benefits Fund for city government retirees and assistance for its public health workers under the Magna Carta for Health Workers.

Zulueta said that in the approved budget, the appropriations for the Drug Abuse and Prevention Program worth P500,000 and the STD HIV Zero Surveillance worth P200,000, both under the City Health Office were not included anymore because last year’s fund was unspent.

Also part of the appropriations budget is the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of the City Government which include the salary for job hire with rate pegged at P344.32 per day for nine months, the salary for traffic aides, auxiliary police and day care workers as well as the allowance rate of P1,200 to P1,500 for barangay service point officers, nutrition scholars and heath workers.

Part of the budget is the Cost of Living Allowances for national government officials and employees assigned in the city.

She said, starting 2013, about 16,000 senior citizens and 2,425 registered persons with disabilities in the city will receive P500 cash assistance yearly.

The city mayor’s office and the Sangguniang Panlungsod meanwhile will have an allocation of P3 million each as capital outlay fund which can be used for infrastructure, equipment or other projects.

A bigger bulk of the budget will be sourced from the local taxes and the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) fund.

NOT FUNDED ANYMORE

Meanwhile, Zulueta said they removed the special purpose appropriations for the traditional Christmas gift-giving to indigent families worth P4 million and the financial assistance to the 180 barangays worth P6.1 million, among others.*