CEBU Provincial Board (PB) Member Celestino Martinez III is pushing for the creation of an updated, integrated provincial master plan, saying Cebu can no longer rely on the decade-old 2017 Mega Cebu Plan as it confronts the impact of recent calamities and mounting development pressures.
In a privilege speech during the PB’s regular session on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, Martinez questioned why Cebu “continues to recycle the same ideas” despite the province’s evolving needs.
“Why are we still relying on outdated master plans? Why have we not developed new, forward-looking solutions?” he asked, urging the Province to adopt a comprehensive plan that includes expressways, railway systems, sustainable waste management, and strategies to ease congestion and widen growth beyond Metro Cebu.
However, Provincial Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces said the master plan is already set for updating, noting it will be aligned with the Provincial Capitol’s Physical Framework Plan.
“We will update it to align with the Physical Framework Plan of Cebu Province, which will be completed by the first quarter of next year,” Empaces told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Empaces said the plan will be updated but the framework, feasibility, and priorities are still applicable given Cebu’s direction toward becoming a smart and sustainable province.
SunStar Cebu reported on Nov. 19 that Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s call to create the Metro Cebu Development Authority (MCDA) also revives the 2017 Mega Cebu Master Plan, a long-term blueprint that outlines transport, flood control, waste management, and urban development projects for the province.
The plan which was designed to guide Metro Cebu’s growth through coordinated, metropolitan-wide solutions, stalled due to weak enforcement and the inactivity of its coordinating body, the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board.
With Cebu again facing major disruptions after Typhoon Tino, officials said updating and enforcing the master plan is crucial to prevent further delays in critical infrastructure.
Budget priorities
Martinez said the call for a modernized development blueprint is urgent as Cebu grapples with widespread damage from recent earthquakes, flooding, and Typhoon Tino.
Typhoon Tino battered public facilities, economic infrastructure, and community structures across multiple towns and cities when it hit Cebu last November 4.
He urged the PB to realign portions of the 2026 budget to prioritize disaster-stricken areas, social and health services, and long-delayed rehabilitation programs.
“I was hoping that since we have more control over the provincial government’s funds and status, we can set our own priorities,” he said in an interview with the media after his speech.
Martinez noted that supplemental budgets can later be pursued if additional national assistance arrives.
‘Time-sensitive’
Martinez also warned that the province is entering a critical phase of recovery.
“The more difficult, more expensive, and time-sensitive work of rebuilding lies ahead,” he said.
He cited extensive damage to municipal halls, roads, ports, barangay halls, health centers, daycare facilities, and public school classrooms. These, he said, must be restored before communities can fully recover.
Livelihood assistance, capacity-building programs, and technical support must also form a central part of the rehabilitation plan, he added.
Martinez noted that Cebu’s vulnerability to disasters is heightened by overpopulation, unregulated development, and overstressed drainage systems, making mitigation and preparedness essential.
He said the province cannot rely solely on national government support despite assurances that part of the rebuilding costs will be shouldered.
“While we appreciate the support of the President and the National Government, we cannot rely solely on external assistance,” he said.
Martinez reiterated his call to strengthen local social and health services and to use provincial resources decisively to safeguard communities that are most at risk. / CDF