THE legislative body of Tarlac City has approved the proposed P2,222,267,156 annual budget for 2023 following the deliberation and scrutiny of the city government’s different departments.

Councilor Vlad Rodriguez, floor leader and chairman of the Committee on Finance, Budget and Appropriations, authored the 2023 Annual Budget Ordinance based on the request of the chief executive for the passage and approval of the law.

The proposed financial plan was in line with the Annual Investment Program of the city.

“It was crafted to address the issues of spatial, economic, and social development perfectly interfacing with the city’s Comprehensive Land Use and Comprehensive Development Plans,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the 2023 budget is “a little shy” from the 2022 budget of P2,393,330,741.

He added that the slight decrease will not hamper the various projects and services of the city government, saying that the administration’s resourcefulness will augment the needed funding of the government’s response to economic stability and other sectoral programs.

In an interview, Vice Mayor Genaro Mendoza said the approval of the ordinance came from the accomplishments of the city government that led to numerous recognitions and awards such as the Seal of Good Local Governance and the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping.

He said the accountable management of the government affairs for the past several years resulted in the city’s recognition as a model community through prudent spending that gave dramatic development for the people, as well as the provision of additional benefits for employees, including the Collective Negotiations Agreement benefit that comes from savings.

“Maganda ang naging ugnayan sa pagitan ng ehekutibo at lehislatibo kung kaya’t narating natin ang maraming pagtatagumpay (Good coordination between the executive and legislative gave us numerous achievements),” Mendoza noted.

He said the city government is expecting an increased collection in taxes that could reach P577 million. The city also aims to collect P64 million from non-tax revenues.