Transmitted late, Capitol’s proposed 2026 budget under review

Local

THE Cebu Provincial Board is working double time to review the Capitol’s proposed 2026 budget after the Executive Department transmitted the spending plan past the deadline.

This was confirmed by PB Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, chairperson of the committee on budget, appropriations and finance, after the regular session on Monday, Nov. 17.

The Local Government Code requires local chief executives to submit their proposed annual budgets by Oct. 16. However, this year, the Capitol transmitted its 11.9-billion-peso proposal well beyond that date.

The documents reached the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Secretariat at 6:05 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Martinez said this is the first time the Executive Department submitted a proposed annual budget late since he began leading the budget committee during the term of then governor Hilario Davide III.

Martinez explained that under normal procedure the secretariat receives the budget documents, distributes copies to the vice governor and the floor leader, issues the required notifications, and refers the proposal to his committee with the enabling ordinance needed for first reading.

He said the measure should then appear in the Wednesday calendar of business before it can enter first reading at the next Monday session.

He said the Board’s rules do not allow an annual budget to be treated as urgent, which places limits on expediting the process.

To compensate for the late submission, he initiated preliminary deliberations ahead of first eading so that departments can begin presenting earlier than usual.

Martinez said the committee intends to examine whether the 2026 proposal provides adequate support for disaster response and recovery.

He acknowledged the series of calamities Cebu recently experienced, including the September 30 magnitude 6.9 earthquake and Typhoon Tino, and said he understands these events may have disrupted the Executive Department’s timeline.

"Mao pud lagi, we want also to consider nga daghan kaayo ang calamity. Naa ang earthquake, naa ang typhoon... We want to be able to also see if there is someting in the budget that we can use to address the needs of the victims of the earthquake," he said.

He added that the Board will evaluate whether the budget addresses the needs of affected towns and cities along with long standing priorities such as health programs.

He also pointed to the sharp reduction in next year’s proposed budget, noting that the P11.9-billion allocation is less than half of this year’s P25 billion appropriation.

Martinez said this drop requires a more detailed review of department proposals to determine which services may be affected.

The Provincial Board aims to place the budget on first reading by Monday, Nov. 24.

Martinez said they have already started preliminary hearings in an effort to complete the budget process before the December 30 deadline.

Gov. Pamela Baricuatro earlier said the P11.9-billion budget reflects Cebu’s actual revenue capacity.

The budget designates P1.3 billionfor hospital upgrades and P1.45 billion for infrastructure. She previously described the allocation as balanced to avoid focusing too heavily on infrastructure while leaving provincial hospitals in disarray.

Part of the budget will support the Provincial Disaster Management Program.

This includes the construction of relief warehouses in Carcar City and Danao City, which the governor has identified as accessible to provincial hospitals and strategically located for northern and southern Cebu.(MyTVCebu)