Cebu Province: PB okays on 1st reading P25B budget for 2025

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Board approved yesterday on first reading Cebu Province’s proposed P25 billion budget for 2025.

Provincial Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco, who authored the proposed ordinance, has confirmed that the 2025 budget will be the biggest budget in the history of the province.

“This is a very very sound budget. It is well-crafted, well laid down, so ang amo nalang trabaho ani is to make a review as part of the authorization process,” said Soco in an interview.

“Hopefully there will be no impediments in the authorization process and we expect that we can approve it as soon as possible time,” he added.

Higher by P2 billion compared to this year’s P23 billion budget, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia in her letter addressed to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, explained that the increase is driven by their commitment to sustain the “progress” of Cebu as the “premier province” in the Philippines.

The P25 billion annual budget for next year is 8.69 percent higher than the 2024 budget.

The amount will be spread out to the province’s key sectors, including economic services, which will have the highest allocated budget of 48.57 percent, or P12.14 billion from the budget.

Further,  the province will be allocating P10.59 billion or 42.35 percent for social services, and P2.27 billion or 9.08 percent will go to the general public services.

“In line with my commitment to good governance, I assure you that all funds will be judiciously and efficiently managed to deliver quality government services for the benefit of One Cebu Island,” Garcia wrote in the letter addressed to the August body pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 and in compliance with the guidelines prescribed under DBM Local Budget Circular No. 152 and Local Budget Memorandum No. 90.

Soco, on the other hand, said that the P25 billion budget will be mostly coming from the local sources of the province. Of the amount, only P6 billion is derived from the National Government.

The local sources of Cebu Province come from the economic enterprise activities which the administration started in 2019, Soco explained.

Some of the economic services include Bulk Water Project in Carmen town where the Provincial Government is selling the water to the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD).

“Na restructure nani siya ang maong agreement which is already realizing income for the Cebu Provincial Government,” said Soco.

He added that the Sugbo Sentro, a Capitol-run food park, which has three branches in Cebu are also generating income for the province especially from the rented stalls.

Additionally, Soco said that the Filinvest Cyberzone continues to provide a “steady stream of income” for the province.

“Daghan kaayog creative ways as a local government unit nga gihimo ang atong Provincial Government and si Governor Gwen Garcia herself nga duna gyuy background sad sa pag negosyo nga gi operate gyud niya ang Probinsya sa Sugbo as an Economic Enterprise,” Soco explained.

Soco added that an Economic Enterprise LGU like Cebu demands efficiency and more revenue from the private sectors which will generate more programs and projects as reflected in the 2025 budget.

“We’re just most proud that the Provincial Government of Cebu has found ways on how to be able to increase its local income sources nga maka allocate ta og more projects, more programs as contained in our Annual Investment Plan (AIP),” said Soco.

Last Tuesday, October 15, the Provincial Development Council (PDC) approved Cebu’s AIP for 2025.

The AIP, as reported, will serve as basis for the programs, projects, and activities that the Provincial Government would spend on next year.

Governor Garcia explained that the funding for the AIP is part of the Capitol’s proposed P25-billion annual budget for 2025, specifically 56 percent of the total amount.

For many years, Cebu Province’s development fund has always been more than the 20 percent National Tax Allotment (NTA) development fund required by the Department of Budget and Management for local government units.

Garcia, during the PDC joint meeting, also revealed that a new item was included in the 2025 AIP.

She identified it as the “Power Generation/Supply System and Electrification Program”, with an allocated amount of P1 billion, which came about following the power crisis in Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan town.

Garcia said that having the budget for the new item is important, especially that maintaining the generators is expensive and needs to be properly managed.

The governor added that the budget will not be allocated in an “Ayuda” program, as it would generate revenue by supplying fuel that will eventually benefit the province.

“This is going to be a sustainable effort of the Cebu Provincial Government in addressing the power crisis but at the same time being able to realize revenues from this,” said Garcia.

Meanwhile, Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas, who presented the proposed AIP last week, revealed that of the P14 billion, P3.8 billion will be allotted for the province’s health sector upgrade, which will include improvement of health facilities and acquisition of medical equipment for the Capitol-run hospitals.

Rodas said that P3.5 billion will be for road and bridge construction, as well as for solar street lighting projects, while P3.3 billion will be for Capitol’s water system development program in the towns and cities.

He likewise said that P1.2 billion will be for the construction or improvement of buildings and other structures; P400 million for agricultural and environmental initiatives; and P350 million for airport and seaport development program.

Additionally, P200 million will be for drainage and flood control projects; P150 million for development and restoration of cultural assets like parks and museums; and P100 million for vehicle acquisition, such as ambulances and emergency response units.

The Cebu Provincial Board, yesterday, also approved the proposed resolution adopting and approving the 2025 AIP for Development Projects of the PDC.

“Nalipay ko niini because as Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Industry, the Provincial Government is pumping more money into the local economy and it will generate more economic activity, which will redown to more jobs, more income sa atoang mga negosyante, ordinary people will have better services, will have better livelihood so there’s more,” said Soco.

“Very very creative and forward looking ning atong budget,” he added. — (FREEMAN)