The Pasig City Council approved yesterday the local government unit’s P12 billion budget for 2021, Mayor Vico Sotto said.
After six days of deliberation, Sotto announced that the City Council has moved to approve the P12,327,598,022 proposed budget for next year, where portions will fund the city’s projects and programs for its COVID-19 response.
“Based on the assessment of our Local Finance Committee, the LGU will be able to realize this number next year, despite the economic challenges that have come with COVID-19,” Sotto said on Facebook.
As the pandemic continues to threaten the lives of the people, Sotto said the local government will prioritize the allocation of funds for the city’s healthcare services.
He earlier said that 30 percent of the city’s 2021 budget will be dedicated for healthcare services, which will boost the city’s COVID-19 response.
“Health pa rin ang prioridad. Nasa 30 percent ng 2021 budget (Health is still the priority. About 30 percent of the 2021 budget),” Sotto said on Twitter.
“Nagulo ng COVID ang mga plano natin para sa Universal Health Care (UHC), pero tungo tayo sa tamang direksyon (COVID has disrupted our plans for Universal Health Care, but we are heading in the right direction)."
In a separate message, Sotto said he will report in detail on Monday the breakdown of next year’s budget.
The mayor expressed his gratitude to the civil society organizations in Pasig which have provided inputs during budget consultation meetings.
“Next year, we will further strengthen the participation of the people through their civil society representatives and non-governmental organizations,” he said.