GOVERNOR Pamela Baricuatro has announced that towns and cities in Cebu will receive financial assistance from the Provincial Capitol for their infrastructure and socio-cultural projects.
She said through their respective mayors, municipalities will get P8 million, while component cities will receive P13 million.
Baricuatro also promised to give P2 million through the vice-mayor’s office of the different towns and cities.
At least 34 mayors, vice mayors, and representatives met with Baricuatro on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, to discuss the financial support and project funding.
“Governor Pam wants to show the mayors and their representatives that she is serious about the province’s progress,” said Argao Vice Mayor Orvi Ortega, who attended the meeting on behalf of Mayor Allan Sesaldo.
“The administration’s success depends on the cooperation of the mayors, and the mayors’ success will also be hers,” Ortega said.
Ortega added that the P8 million aid to towns will fund various projects, either “hard or soft.”
For his part, Ortega plans to use the P2 million, coursed through vice mayors, to assist the 45 barangays of Argao, the largest town in Cebu’s second district.
Ortega said he submitted his proposals for the fund last August.
Local government units (LGUs) must submit a resolution outlining the purpose of the funds before they are released.
Meanwhile, Provincial Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces told reporters that the financial assistance will be only for the remaining months of the year.
“They (LGUs) have to use it in the next four months,” Empaces said in Cebuano.
To ensure that the assistance is properly spent, the Provincial Project Monitoring Committee will monitor the infrastructure projects, he added.
The committee is tasked to investigate the performance of all infrastructure projects regardless of the funding source, whether national, local or international, for as long as they are within Cebu Province.
Baricuatro, in a statement posted on the Cebu Public Information Office Facebook page on Friday, Sept. 5 said she reminded the officials that socio-cultural funds must be liquidated within 60 days, complete with documentation.
She said those with unliquidated expenses will not be eligible for new assistance.
The Governor also discussed the Special Education Fund (SEF) with the mayors and vice mayors. The SEF has an available balance of P500 million that was not used by the previous administration of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. / CDF