BACOLOD CITY – The city government has proposed a P4.4-billion annual budget for 2025.
MAYOR Albee Benitez leads the deliberation of Bacolod City’s proposed P4.4-billion annual budget for 2025 with department heads and councilors in Bangkok, Thailand last week. (Screengrab from Mayor Albee Benitez Facebook video)
The expenditure is higher than the initial P4.2-billion proposal, Mayor Albee Benitez here said.
The city finalized the budget proposal for next year after a recent budget deliberation with city officials and department heads in Bangkok, Thailand.
The proposed budget for 2025 is P800 million higher than the P3.6 billion this year, Benitez said.
The increase was based on additional revenues, Benitez said, adding they are happy with the outcome of their deliberation as the requests of all department heads were included in the budget.
This city, according to Benitez, expects to receive a P2.2-billion national tax allotment share in 2025, higher than the P1.9-billion allocation this year.
“That’s because of our extensive focus in revenue generation. Our tax-mapping is ongoing, and we have other revenue-generating activities coming in next year,” the mayor said.
Benitez said that they will submit the budget proposal to the City Council that will conduct a public hearing before the measure is approved.
Among the priorities in the proposed budget is social services, including an increase in funds for the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program (BacChp) from P80 million to P150 million.
These services include the Bayad Agad (pay immediately) program, funeral assistance, and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Benitez added.
“We will make sure first that BacChp will continue to serve the needs of the beneficiaries. We will monitor it closely,” Benitez said, adding that they want to ensure that the program is not being taken advantage of.
He also said that they will prioritize digitalization as they move to becoming a smart and super city.
Benitez said that P40 million will be allotted next year for the establishment of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) as a department and another budget will also be allocated to create this city’s investment and economic department.