DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 03 December) – The Davao City Council on Tuesday approved a P14.3 billion budget for 2025, 12.26 percent higher than this year’s P12.7 billion allocation.
Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, Ways, and Appropriations and principal author of the budget ordinance, said the increase is needed because of the city’s growing programs, projects and personnel, more funds for calamity preparedness and response and for the delivery of basic social services, and the maintenance and operating expenses of various local government agencies.
For next year’s budget, the top five with the biggest allocations are the City Mayor’s Office with ₱5.2 billion, City Social Welfare and Development Office with ₱1.1 billion, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office with ₱924 million, City Health Office with ₱869 million, and City Environment and Natural Resources Office with ₱867 million.
For the 2025 budget, the general fund of the city amounts to around P12.4 billion or 86.52 percent of the total budget, which covers the expenditures “for personnel services, maintenance and other operating expenses, and capital outlays of the departments, offices, and units of the City Government of Davao, except the economic enterprises.”
Of the budget, 12.35 percent was allocated for the annual development fund, amounting to nearly P1.8 billion, which will be used for funding and maintaining projects such as buildings, hospital and health centers, road networks, power supply systems, and other related infrastructures.
The budget sources its funds mostly from the Internal Revenue Allotment. The city’s Economic Enterprises contributes P162,103,825.00, or 1.13 percent, to the total budget. The revenue came from the city-owned parks, slaughterhouses, cemeteries, and recreation centers, among others.
Ortiz said the city government’s budget will focus on delivering quality human settlements and promoting equitable growth through programs and projects aligned with its 12 key priority areas: poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, solid waste management, health, education and human resource development, agriculture and agribusiness, business and industry support, transportation planning and traffic management, peace and order, disaster risk reduction, good governance through innovations and information technology, and, tourism development.
“Aligned with its mandate and in response to the community’s needs, the City Government of Davao affirms its commitment to optimize available resources. It likewise emphasizes the responsible and prudent utilization of these resources, ensuring that the allocated amounts were justified and aligned with the intended purposes and mandates,” the ordinance stated. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
