On Aug. 17, 2026, 118 healthcare workers took their oaths at Cebu Provincial Hospital Balamban, marking the first mass appointment held outside the Capitol to prevent interrupting medical operations.
The group included 97 former job-order staff gaining regular government status after waiting up to 18 years, alongside career promotions for existing permanent employees.
The 118 positions were distributed across five provincial medical facilities, with health officials planning similar oath-taking ceremonies for the Camotes Islands and Bogo City in the coming weeks.
MORE than 100 healthcare workers across Cebu provincial hospitals celebrated a major life milestone on Monday after securing permanent job positions, ending years of employment uncertainty.
A total of 118 hospital workers took their oaths of office on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. The group included 97 former job-order (JO) staff members who were granted regular government status, while permanent employees received career promotions.
The mass oath-taking ceremony took place at the Cebu Provincial Hospital (CPH) Balamban. This marked the first time the Provincial Government held a mass appointment event outside the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
Cebu Provincial Health Consultant Elisse Nicole Catalan explained that holding the ceremony at a local hospital ensured medical operations across provincial health facilities continued without interruption.
“What it means is a commitment from the Governor that was fulfilled to support healthcare in our province,” Catalan said.
Years of waiting finally end
Many of the newly regularized personnel had worked under temporary job-order contracts for over a decade without government benefits or job security.
Rubylyn Dumdum, 49, spent 18 years working as the sole cook at CPH Balamban under temporary status. Her regularization increases her monthly salary from P11,000 to around P17,000.
Nurse Angel Mae Apduhan, 36, achieved permanent status after 13 years of service at CPH Balamban.
“Emotional nga after 13 years, na-regular na ko,” Apduhan said, sharing that permanent job security will help her support her family while continuing to care for patients.
(It's emotional that after 13 years, I have finally become a regular employee.)
Assistant nurse Nestor Fernandez, 40, described the huge relief felt by healthcare staff across the province.
“Pirti namong lipaya kay sa kadugay namo, naa na gyud mi item nga matawag namo nga kaugalingon,” Fernandez said. “Stable na gyud among trabaho, dili na mi makuyawan nga mataktak.”
(We’re very happy because after all these years, we finally have a permanent position we can call our own. Our jobs are now stable, and we no longer have to worry about being dismissed.)
The 118 positions were distributed across five key provincial medical facilities, with CPH Balamban receiving 100 regular positions, CPH Carcar receiving nine, CPH Danao receiving seven, and one position each going to Bantayan District Hospital and Ricardo L. Maningo Memorial Hospital in Camotes.
Provincial health officials announced plans to hold similar recruitment and oath-taking ceremonies in the Camotes Islands and Bogo City in the coming weeks, expanding job security for more healthcare workers across Cebu. CDF