Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro hinted at reviving the province's flagship grand festival this August under the new name "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" using a shorter format featuring only district winners.
The festival revival idea gained traction online following a June 1, 2026, social media post, which comes a year after Baricuatro announced plans to cancel the expensive "Pasigarbo sa Sugbo" event.
The potential revival addresses earlier provincial plans from January 7 to cut tourism costs and reprogram those funds directly into improving local district and provincial hospital healthcare programs.
CEBU’s cultural scene might be getting a major revival this coming August. Governor Pamela Baricuatro has hinted at bringing back the province's flagship grand festival under a brand-new name and a shorter, safer format.
This surprising update comes just a year after the governor announced plans to completely cancel the famous "Pasigarbo sa Sugbo" event to focus provincial funds elsewhere.
The festival buzz started on June 1, 2026, when a popular Facebook page called Cebu Festivals asked its 68,000 followers a simple question: What if the governor brought back the festival under the new name "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" for the province's founding anniversary in August?
The online post asked in Cebuano, “What if ibalik ni Guv. Pam ang Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and rename it as Pasundayag sa Sugbo para karong Cebu Province Founding Anniversary. Uyon ba mo?”
On Friday, June 5, Governor Baricuatro herself jumped into the comment section and showed clear interest in the idea.
“Why not??? It crossed my mind baya! Nice ni nga name ha (This is a nice name, right)? Pasundayag sa Sugbo. Let’s showcase the Cebu Festival winners per district lang siguro para dili maabtan og kadlawn (so it won’t last until dawn),” Baricuatro wrote.
By Tuesday afternoon, June 9, the post and the governor's personal comment had gathered hundreds of reactions, comments, and shares from excited netizens.
The name change
Following the massive wave of online attention, the Cebu Festivals page quickly issued a statement on Friday, June 5, to clear up any confusion. They clarified that the name "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" was just their own creative suggestion and not an official government decision yet.
“We would like to clarify that this was merely our idea and opinion on what the festival could be called under the new administration. It was not an official announcement nor a confirmed decision from the Cebu Provincial Government or Governor Pam Baricuatro,” the page coordinators explained.
Balancing culture and healthcare
The online discussion also touched on a deeper debate among locals regarding how the province spends its money. When Governor Baricuatro first took office after winning the election on May 12, 2025, she planned to stop Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and the "Suroy-Suroy Sugbo" tourism program. She noted that both programs were too expensive and faced difficult logistical safety issues.
Earlier this year, on January 7, the governor explicitly stated she wanted to take money previously used for these tourism programs and move it directly into improving local district and provincial hospitals.
“We will cut the cost for the Pasigarbo and Suroy-Suroy and reprogram it to our healthcare program,” Baricuatro said at the time.
Addressing these exact financial concerns, the Cebu Festivals page argued that the province does not have to choose between keeping people healthy and celebrating its heritage.
“The Provincial Government can improve hospitals and healthcare while also investing in culture, tourism, and the creative industry. These goals are not mutually exclusive—they can move forward together,” the page shared.
Cebuano pride
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo was originally launched back in 2008 as a massive, colorful competition that allowed different towns and cities across Cebu to showcase their unique local festivals. It has traditionally been held every August to celebrate the founding anniversary of Cebu Province.
Its sister program, Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, was created in 2004 to introduce travelers to various towns through curated travel packages.
While the governor’s new idea of hosting only the reigning district winners would drastically cut costs and keep the event from running past midnight, the final decision remains up in the air.
Cebuano culture lovers will be watching closely as August approaches to see if "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" officially takes the stage.