Martinez defends CPAC’s reduced budget allocation

Local

PROCEDURES, legality, and transparency are driving the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s (SP) review of Cebu’s 2026 budget, not political motives.

Provincial Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III emphasized this as he defended reductions to the Cebu People’s Action Center (CPAC) allocation and questioned spending on the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tourism program.

Martinez clarified that the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, which he chairs, evaluates only items already included in a duly approved budget that are proposed for reappropriation.

He stressed that SP deliberations are livestreamed, giving the public full access to the legislative process.

CPAC was created through an executive order rather than an SP-enacted ordinance, which legally limits the board’s ability to allocate funds.

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

By contrast, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CPDRRMO) was established through an ordinance, allowing proper budget allocation.

Martinez 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, pointing out that the ordinance mandates funding but does not specify an amount and that allocating funds to programs that will not be pursued wastes provincial resources.

Martinez explained that during his service under former Governors Pablo “Pabling” Garcia, Jun Davide, and Gwendolyn Garcia, committee discussions preceded plenary sessions, giving board members opportunities to express differing opinions.

He also emphasized that former governor Garcia had not intervened in any ongoing budget deliberations.

Baricuatro’s administration proposed an P11.9-billion budget for 2026, down from this year’s P25 billion.

The SP will hold another round of budget hearings on December 22 to ensure compliance with legal and procedural requirements before reviewing the necessity and viability of programs such as CPAC and Suroy-Suroy Sugbo.(MyTVCebu)