THE Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has approved a P400 million disaster risk reduction and management fund for 2027, with the bulk earmarked for preparedness.
The amount is part of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office’s (PDRRMO) proposed Annual Investment Program for 2027 during its third quarter meeting on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
The proposed fund will still have to be included in the province’s 2027 budget and acted on by the Provincial Board (PB).
Preparedness budget
Of the proposed P400 million, P280 million is allocated for disaster risk reduction and management programs, while P120 million is earmarked as the quick response fund (QRF).
The P280 million program component includes P168 million, or 60 percent, for preparedness initiatives. The allocation will cover equipment for the PDRRMO, its Emergency Operations Center and provincial warehouses.
PDRRMO head Dennis Pastor said the administration of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has placed greater focus on preparedness, prompting the office to strengthen communities and local disaster risk reduction and management offices before disasters occur.
The remaining P112 million is divided into P28 million for prevention and mitigation, P56 million for response and early recovery, and P28 million for recovery and rehabilitation.
The P120 million QRF accounts for 30 percent of the proposed P400 million fund. Under Republic Act 10121, 30 percent of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund is allocated as QRF, while the remaining 70 percent is used for disaster risk reduction and management activities.
Expansion
The proposed fund comes as the PDRRMO continues to expand its operations and disaster response capability across the province.
Pastor said the PDRRMO now has 85 personnel, up from 10 when the Baricuatro administration began.
The office had 50 employees, including 21 trained responders, in January 2026. The latest figure of 85 personnel was given by Pastor during the Sept. 17 meeting.
The Province has also been expanding its disaster response capability. In July, the PDRRMC proposed an P88.7 million disaster trust fund covering equipment, communications systems, emergency and response vehicles and other response needs.
A clearance was also secured in September to procure two sea ambulances worth about P50 million for Camotes Islands and Bantayan Island.
The PDRRMO received a P17.4 million appropriation under the Province’s 2026 annual budget after having no budget allocation in 2025.
The Province’s 2026 annual budget totaled P11.9 billion. The PB approved it on Jan. 8, 2026, and Baricuatro signed it the same day. The budget was 52.4 percent lower than the P25 billion allocation for 2025.
The 2026 budget allocated P2.9 billion for the operation of the 16 Capitol-run hospitals and P1.2 billion for the Provincial Health Office. / CDF