A NEW proposal at the Cebu Provincial Board aims to set clear rules on how local officials spend their monthly office budgets. The plan introduces a P15,000 cap on rent for satellite offices to ensure taxpayer money is handled with more transparency.
Board Member Nilo Seno introduced the amendment to Provincial Ordinance 2025-11 during a session on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. While the total monthly budget for each office stays at P25,000, the new rule explains exactly what that money can buy.
Under the proposal, the P25,000 will cover basic needs like electricity, water, internet, and phone bills. It also covers the cost of renting office space, vehicles, or equipment—but these specific rental costs cannot go over P15,000 per month.
The goal of this update is to meet strict accounting and audit requirements. By listing specific items like "internet" and "vehicle rentals," the board makes it easier for the public to see where the money goes.
“The Provincial Government of Cebu shall allocate a budget P25,000 per month for each satellite office," the proposed amendment states. "This amount will cover utility expenses such as electricity, water, internet, telephone, and rental expenses for office spaces and rentals for vehicles and equipment, of no more than P15,000.00 per month."
These satellite offices were first created in October 2025 to help board members better serve the people in their home districts. If the P25,000 budget isn't enough to help their constituents, board members are still allowed to look for extra funding from outside sources.
When it comes to staffing, offices will be run by existing government employees. To keep things flexible, these workers won't use biometric scanners to clock in, but they must keep detailed logbooks and send regular reports to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office.
The proposal has been sent to the Committee on Laws and Review on Ordinances for a closer look. To become an official law, it must still pass a second and third reading by the board.
This move represents a step toward more organized government spending, ensuring that local offices remain open and helpful to the community without exceeding their set budgets.