BALER, Aurora—The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed on third and final reading Aurora’s 2017 budget amounting to an all-time high of P861.9 million without making any cuts to allocations for the various provincial departments and offices.
Vice Gov. Rommel Rico Teh Angara, who presides over the provincial board, said the approved budget was significant as it would ensure the delivery of basic services to the people of Aurora in its eight municipalities.
“It is highly important to deliver the needed services to people from all sectors in Aurora as well as the needed infrastructures, and this budget will help achieve that goal,” Angara said.
Board Member Jennifer Araña, who chairs the SP committee on finance, budget and appropriations, said the 2017 budget represents a highwater mark in Aurora’s history as it marked the first time not a single centavo was slashed from the budget of each provincial office.
“I recommended not to slash the budget of the respective offices because during our marathon deliberations, we considered their performance and accomplishments during the current year,” Araña said.
About 19 percent of the P861,930,620.29 under the appropriation ordinance goes to Office of the Provincial Governor or P170 million, followed by the Provincial Health Office getting over P139 million.
The SP itself will get P70.48 million, followed by the Provincial Engineering Office (P46.79 million), General Services Office (P30.08 million), Engineering Pool Office (P25.19 million), Provincial Agriculturist (P20.19 million), Assessor’s Office (P17.34 million), Veterinary Office (P14.76 million), Environment and Natural Resources Office (P14.54 million), Provincial Jail (P13.68 million), Planning and Development Office (P12.49 million), and Treasurer’s Office (P12.18 million).
The provincial accounting office will get P8.07 million, followed by the Social Welfare and Development Office (P7.7 million), Risk Reduction and Management Office (P7.7 million), Budget Office (P7.24 million), Human Resources Management Office (P7.13 million), Employment, Sports, Culture and Arts, and Youth Development Office (P6.9 million), Tourism Office (P5.16 million), Population Office (P4.65 million), Cooperative Office (P4.3 million), Administrator’s Office (P3.48 million) and Legal Office (P1.9 million).