The Tagbilaran City Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) on Nov. 25, 2022 approved the appropriations ordinance for 2023, according to Vice Mayor Adam Jala.
Jala revealed the information in a radio interview on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, over Open Forum hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado.
The vice mayor said that the SP approved the budget ordinance earlier than usual. Next year’s budget is P1,106,010,529 and to recall, the 2022 budget of the city is about P1.1 billion also. This budget will be funding the various programs and projects of the city government led by Mayor Jane Yap and Jala.
The vice mayor said that the budget reflects the priority programs and projects of the Yap-Jala administration. He added that this is the first budget ordinance approved under the new administration.
Jala further said that the SP was able to approve the budget measure ahead of time which is usually before Christmas time to be implemented at the start of the New Year.
The vice mayor added that he is expressing his thanks to the officials of the city government and to the city councilors for working double time and being able to craft the budget ordinance in the soonest possible time.
JUST THE SAME
Like in other local government units, the National Tax Allocation (NTA) was affected due to the pandemic.
However, even with a lower NTA this 2023, Tagbilaran City managed to maintain a decent budget, which is able to fund the priority plans and projects of the current administration.
“Wala mosaka, halos equal lang [ang budget sa 2023 compared sa 2022]. [Ug] nisaka man gani [ang budget] gamay ra kaayo ang gisakaan tungod pud kini kay naapektohan sa Covid niadtong pandemya,” he explained.
The NTA is the allocation coming from the national government which is sourced from internal revenues and all forms of taxes and duties. The local government unit (LGU) gets a share of the national taxes based on the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the Supreme Court.
Due to the pandemic, the national government’s collection dropped, which resulted to a reduction of the share in the national taxes of various LGUs.
ADDITIONAL FUND SOURCES
Jala also reported that the SP approved an amendment to the city’s revenue code which allows the businesses in the informal sector to be registered and be able to pay business taxes.
These means the ambulant vendors and those businesses that don’t have permanent structures or location are now allowed to register with the City Hall and pay appropriate taxes to the LGU.
Previously, the businesses in the informal sector were not given the chance to get a mayor’s permit. These businesses include the ambulant vendors and those who ply their wares but are not given the chance to be registered and released the necessary documentations.