No ‘Pasigarbo sa Sugbo’ this year

Local

THE dancers won’t take the streets—but tourism is still taking the spotlight.

Cebu Province has scrapped this year’s Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, redirecting its budget into tourism infrastructure, frontliner certification, and international promotions in a bid to make the sector more sustainable and service-driven.

Provincial Administrator Joseph Felix Mari “Ace” Durano confirmed on Tuesday, July 22, that the annual cultural showcase will not push through.

He said the decision follows Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s directive to realign provincial resources in a way that reflects long-term development goals while staying within the bounds of the law.

“Wala’y Pasigarbo kay mao ni giingon ni Gov. nga gusto niya ang kaning pundo gamiton... Naa nay guidelines unsaon ni niya paggamit ang Pasigarbo funds,” Durano said.

He explained that since the funds had already been allocated under the 2025 Annual Appropriations Ordinance for Pasigarbo, they cannot be used for non-tourism programs such as healthcare.

However, they may be reprogrammed for other tourism-aligned initiatives. Rather than mounting another expensive festival, the Capitol will use the funds to improve tourist facilities in high-traffic areas, conduct skills training and certification for tourism frontliners, and launch more effective tourism promotion efforts both locally and abroad.

Durano pointed to Oslob as a prime example of a destination that needs more attention beyond marketing.

While famous for its whale shark interactions, he said the surrounding infrastructure must be upgraded to meet visitor expectations and maintain Cebu’s competitive edge.

He also noted that empowering the local tourism workforce is a major component of the plan.

Through training and certification programs, frontliners, including tour guides, hospitality staff, and transport operators, will be better equipped to serve guests with professionalism and consistency.

A portion of the budget will also go to ramping up the province’s tourism promotion, targeting both domestic and international markets.

Officials believe this strategy will help attract high-value tourists and spread awareness of Cebu’s diverse destinations beyond its festivals.

The announcement follows Baricuatro’s earlier statement that Pasigarbo and Suroy-Suroy Sugbo would proceed this year due to existing funding and implementing ordinances.

However, she later revealed plans to begin phasing them out in 2026.

Baricuatro had said she would push for a legislative review to repeal or amend the legal framework that sustains the two programs, particularly Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, which was institutionalized under the Cebu Province Tourism Code.

Pasigarbo, funded through annual appropriations, is not supported by a standalone ordinance and is more easily subject to changes in policy.

A critic of the two programs, Baricuatro questioned their cost-effectiveness and impact on local communities.

She earlier disclosed that Pasigarbo’s budget had ballooned to over P200 million, which she deemed excessive.

She also noted the unfairness of having third-class municipalities compete with cities that had far greater resources, describing the setup as logistically impractical.

She raised safety concerns as well, recalling that participants had been injured in previous years while traveling to Cebu City to take part in the festival.

Baricuatro also criticized Suroy-Suroy Sugbo for placing a burden on barangays that were often made to host delegations under uncomfortable and impractical conditions.

She said it made more sense to replace such events with mobile services like clinics and kitchens that could directly serve people in remote areas.

The governor added that the province does not need another major festival when the Sinulog already serves as the island’s primary cultural celebration.

She expressed interest in collaborating with Cebu City instead of creating duplicative programs at the provincial level.

Vice Governor Glenn Soco said the Provincial Board is open to the governor’s proposal to review and possibly repeal tourism-related ordinances.

He emphasized that if the shift results in more impactful tourism development and better public services, then legislative support would likely follow.

Soco also said that investing in site improvements and frontliner capacity-building is a more practical approach to tourism in the current landscape, especially with increasing competition from other provinces and countries.(MyTVCebu)