LINGAYEN, Dec. 1 -- The provincial government of Pangasinan has allocated a PHP8.3-billion annual budget for 2026.

During an interview on Monday, after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the annual budget, Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino said the amount exceeds this year's PHP7.1-billion budget.

"A significant part of the increase was due to higher national tax allocation (NTA) and increased income generated locally, especially from economic enterprises," he said.

According to the Pangasinan Information and Media Relations Office (PIMRO), the NTA is projected to rise from over PHP5.89 billion in 2025 to PHP6.67 billion in 2026, based on the comparative data report.

Lambino said the bulk of the budget goes to social services, such...