CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan –The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) allocates P17.1 billion in National Tax Allocation (NTA) for the Provincial Government of Bulacan, including its 20 municipalities and four cities under the proposed 2024 national budget.
Based on the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2024, the amount is 2.2% higher than the P16.1 billion that the agency provided under the 2023 General Appropriation Act or the Republic Act 11936.
NTA is the entire share of the local government units or LGUs from all the kinds of taxes that are being collected by the national government.
As mandated by the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, it emphasized that the shares of local governments shall not be limited to the taxes from the collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue or BIR.
DBM Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran said it also includes those collections from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), excise taxes, income from government-owned and controlled corporations, and other sources of funds collected by the national government.
This will be the second year of the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling where the formerly known Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA was reformed as NTA.
For 2024, the provincial government will receive P5.4 billion, a little higher compared to the P5 billion allotted under the 2023 national budget.
Meanwhile, the cities of Malolos, San Jose del Monte, Meycauayan and Baliwag are set to receive a combined P4.6 billion NTA larger than the present P4.3 billion.
The City of San Jose Del Monte has the highest NTA allocation among other cities in the province at P1.9 billion; Malolos at P1 billion, while Meycauayan and Baliwag has P887 million AND P775 million respectively.
NTA in 20 municipalities has a total of P7.1 billion, higher than the present P6.7 billion.
Santa Maria is the bigger receiver of NTA among other municipalities at P739 million. Marilao will get P643.8 million and P503 million for San Miguel.
Increases of NTA will also be given to Norzagaray at P434 million; P414 million for Pandi, P383 million for Bocaue, P382 million for Hagonoy, P347.9 million for San Ildefonso, P346.3 million for Donya Remedios Trinidad, P336.3 million for Calumpit, P324.7 million for San Rafael, P321 million for Plaridel, P317.5 for Guiguinto and P310 million for Pulilan.
Among the municipalities with P200 million level NTA are the towns of Bulakan at P254 million; P244.7 million for Bustos, P234 million for Balagtas, P219 million for Angat and P200.6 million for Obando. Paombong will receive P189.3 million.
Based on the various documents obtained from the publicly displayed disclosure policies, NTA serves as the biggest funding source of the provincial, municipal and city budgets.
Payment for personal services for the salary and benefits of regular government employees, general fund, capital outlay, maintenance, operations, and other expenses or MOOE for electricity, water, fuel and telephone expenditures will be sourced from NTA.
Meanwhile, Governor Daniel R. Fernando said that an increase in NTA is essential to spur economic recovery amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is eyeing a higher provincial budget for 2024, through effective collection of taxes from quarrying and enhancing the management of space rentals that owned by the provincial government.
Bulacan is operating under the P6.8 billion 2023 provincial budget, lowered than the P7.4 billion in 2022 due to the national government’s limited fiscal space.
Usec. Libiran reminded the LGUs to observe Local Budget Memorandum No. 87 in their preparation of its annual budget for 2024 as NTA indicative shares will reach P871.3 billion.
