LINGAYEN-The provincial budget next year is pegged at P1.32 billion from P1.14 billion this year, or higher by 16%.

The 2008 budget was approved by the provincial board during last week’s session through   Appropriation Ordinance No. 5 series of 2007.

The bulk of the province’s General Fund goes to health-related expenditures, infrastructure, and provincial office operations.

This year’s total current operating expenditures went to the operation of hospitals atP252,024,310 on  top of the P18,858,047 that went to the Provincial Health Office.

The Office of the Provincial Engineer got P76,876,689; Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, P44,098,845; Office of the Provincial Governor, P36,985,948; and  the Office of the General Services Officer, P34,791,151.

Total current operating  expenditures, which include personal services,  maintenance and and capital  outlay of various offices, totaled  P646,993,844  while total non-office obligations amounted to P668,531,411 and another P5,524,000 for total capital outlay.#