ASIDE from health and disaster, funding for the legislative branch, the Provincial Information and Communications Technology Office and the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) increased under the P11.9-billion 2026 budget of the Cebu Provincial Government, despite an overall reduction in the Capitol’s total appropriations.
A statement from Cebu Province Public Information Facebook page on Sunday, Jan, 11, 2026, said that under the 2026 budget signed by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro on Thursday, Jan. 8, the Office of the Vice Governor received a P333.2-million increase, or 309.41 percent, raising its allocation to P440.9 million for 2026 from P107.7 million in 2025.
The Provincial Board’s (PB) budget also went up by P81.8 million, or 41.29 percent, to P280.1 million for 2026 from P198.2 million in 2025.
The Picto was granted an additional P15.2 million, or a 74.74-percent increase, in support of the administration’s digitalization initiatives.
Meanwhile, the CPDRC received P21.8 million more, reflecting a 38.73-percent increase in its 2026 allocation.
Reduction
Baricuatro signed the 2026 appropriations ordinance after its approval on third and final reading by the PB. The P11.9-billion budget is 52.40 percent lower than the P25-billion allocation for 2025, which the governor had earlier described as bloated.
PB Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, chairman of the committee on budget and appropriations and author of the ordinance, said the reductions align spending with the Province’s actual capacity to disburse funds.
He noted that provincial spending in previous years had not exceeded P11 billion, even when approved budgets reached more than P20 billion from 2023 to 2025.
“Ang nagasto ra gyud sa previous years wala man gyud musobra sa P11 billion. So if you’re looking at around P11 billion for this year to spend, you’re well within the range,” Martinez said.
Allocation
Despite the overall cuts, health and disaster-response offices also received higher allocations. The operating budget for the 16 Capitol-run hospitals increased by P394.2 million, or 14 percent, to P2.9 billion, while the Provincial Health Office budget rose by P178.8 million, or 17.15 percent, to P1.2 billion.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, which had no budget allocation in 2025, was appropriated P17.4 million for 2026.
Comparative data from Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Rodas showed that executive offices saw a combined reduction of P13.4 billion, or 67.10 percent, with the governor’s office registering the largest cut — from P19.1 billion in 2025 to P5.2 billion in 2026.
Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco welcomed the higher allocation for the PB, saying it would allow board members to better serve their respective districts.
Martinez said the increases for the legislative branch stemmed from structural reforms under the new administration, noting that legislative appropriations previously lodged under the governor’s office are now separately itemized. / CDF