Iloilo City’s government has greenlit a substantial budget of over P4.2 billion for the year 2025, marking a significant 14.83% increase from the current year’s P3.6 billion. The city council finalized this budget during a regular session, allocating P4.13 billion to the executive budget and P81.95 million to the special account managed by the Local Economic Enterprise Office. The surge in the budget is attributed to a notable rise in the National Tax Allotment (NTA), as detailed in a report from the Committee on Appropriations, led by Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia. The report highlighted that the increase in NTA is particularly timely, given the reduced expectations for revenue from local sources, notably due to a drop in real property taxes. The NTA is expected to rise from P1.45 billion this year to P1.71 billion in 2025. The budget breakdown for 2025 allocates 48% to general services, covering planning, financial administration, legal, and legislative services; 25% to social services; 15% to economic services; and 12% to other services. Mayor Jerry Treñas praised the decision as a testament to the city council’s commitment and collaboration with stakeholders to meet the needs of the Ilonggo community. He emphasized that the early approval of the budget would facilitate timely procurement, ensuring that planned projects and programs for 2025 start on schedule and deliver services promptly. Treñas also noted that this proactive strategy would help prevent delays, improve efficiency, and optimize the impact of government expenditures for the benefit of the city’s residents.
