Cebu’s P11.9-billion 2026 budget hurdles second reading

Local

THE Cebu Provincial Board has cleared on second reading a proposed P11.9-billion budget for 2026, setting the stage for final approval in January.

Since the ordinance still requires a third and final reading, the provincial government will begin 2026 operating under a reenacted budget until the measure is fully approved.

The board tackled the budget during its second reading before adjourning for the Christmas break.

Members agreed to allow amendments, including fund transfers and reappropriations, before the ordinance moves to final approval.

The proposed measure allocates P11.9 billion from the General Fund for provincial operations, government hospitals, the Cebu North and South Bus Terminals, and the Cebu Provincial Inter-LGU Waterworks System Office.

Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, chair of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, said the timing of the third reading depends on the availability of board members after the holidays.

“I will leave it up to the body,” Martinez said, noting members will receive formal notice once the Vice Governor’s Office sets the schedule. A post-session meeting identified January 5 as a tentative date.

Martinez noted that under the Provincial Board’s House Rules, the annual budget cannot be certified as urgent and must undergo the full legislative process.

He said the proposed budget has been returned to the Provincial Budget Office to reflect amendments agreed upon during second-reading deliberations.

“After that, it will be sent back to us for third and final reading,” Martinez said. He added that the board wants to avoid convening a session without a sufficient number of members.

He stressed that holding the final reading next year would not delay government services, explaining that second reading is the most critical stage in passing any ordinance.

“Second reading is where all the amendments, changes, and proposals come in,” Martinez said, noting that consensus with the executive branch avoided potential deferments.

A major point of deliberation involved a P178-million adjustment recommended by the committee, which Martinez clarified was reappropriated rather than cut.

He said part of the amount may be used to purchase additional engineering equipment for repair and maintenance task forces.

The funds may also support demolition of damaged structures after the recent earthquake, clearing operations, and other urgent repairs across the province.

Martinez explained that the recommendation stemmed from committee findings that some items were recurring, redundant, or excessive across departments.

“There are amounts that are already provided for in other departments, and some items were found to be excessive,” he said.

The committee also flagged allocations for offices not directly under the provincial government, noting that these offices had not previously received provincial funding and lacked clear justification for inclusion in the 2026 proposal.

Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces called the second-reading approval a “happy development” for both the board and the public.

He said the P11.9-billion proposal represents a more realistic fiscal plan based on actual revenue collections rather than overly optimistic projections, contrasting it with the P25-billion budget approved for 2025.

Despite the smaller budget, he said major programs and policy directions remain intact, with continued alignment between the executive and legislative branches. He noted significant allocations for the legislative branch, particularly the Office of the Vice Governor.

Empaces praised the deliberations, saying they reflect how democracy should work.

“Dili lang ingon nga ma-approve in unison without discussion,” he said.

Martinez earlier said procedures, legality, and transparency guide the board’s review of the 2026 budget, not political motives.

He defended reductions to the Cebu People’s Action Center (CPAC) allocation and questioned proposed funding for the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tourism program.

He clarified that the Committee on Budget and Appropriations evaluates only items already included in a duly approved budget proposed for reappropriation, adding that deliberations are livestreamed through Beyond Legislation.

CPAC, Martinez said, was created via executive order rather than an SP-enacted ordinance, limiting the board’s authority to allocate funds.

“Appropriation must follow creation,” Martinez said, warning that releasing funds to an office without legal existence would be illegal.

He also questioned the proposed P25-million allocation for Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, which Gov. Pamela Baricuatro had previously abolished.

The committee recommended reducing the allocation to P16 million, noting that while an ordinance mandates funding, it does not specify an amount, and allocating funds to programs that will not be implemented wastes provincial resources.

Before the session, Vice Governor Glenn Soco defended the integrity and independence of the 17th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, saying the Committee on Appropriations acted diligently, objectively, and according to the law.

“It must also be clearly stated for the record that this is the 17th Sangguniang Panlalawigan. This Board acts independently and is accountable for its own decisions,” Soco said.

Soco said disagreements with the executive branch are part of the system of checks and balances but called for respectful dialogue, emphasizing that the board remains committed to protecting public funds, upholding oversight, and safeguarding the welfare of Cebuanos.(MyTVCebu)