The Provincial Board of Palawan (PGP) approved the annual budget for the year 2020, which is 12.5 percent higher than this year’s allocation.
From P2,887,019,175 for 2019, the budget rose to almost P3,247,000,000 and will be spent for Infrastructure-Health, Education, Livelihood and Protection of Environment Programs of the province. Last 2017, a total budget of P2,698,430,061 was approved by the legislature for 2018.
“Yung una nating priority diyan ay ‘yung 45 percent personal services. So, kapag magdagdag tayo ng empleyado, tumataas din ‘yung ating personal services,” explained Appropriations Committee Chairman, Board Member Leoncio “Onsoy” Ola in an interview with the local media on Dec. 17, 2019, the last session of the Board for this year.
Like the usual allocation of annual budget, Ola added that aside from the personal services programs, part of P3.2 billion will be spent for Gender and Development (GAD), five percent Calamity Fund, Local Social Pension (LSP) for senior citizens, risk reduction, medical assistance for the indigent Palaweño, disaster risk reduction, and “Gobyerno sa Barangay,” among others.
After the Christmas Break, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will resume its regular session on January 7, 2020.