THE Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has set committee-level deliberations on the proposed P11.9-billion 2026 budget, submitted weeks late, from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1, 2025.
Budget Committee chair PB Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III confirmed that department heads are required to attend and present their proposals at the vice governor’s conference room in the legislative building.
Pressed for time after the executive department missed the Oct. 16 deadline under Section 318 of RA 7160, the PB approved early deliberations even before the first reading, tentatively set for Nov. 24, to avoid further legislative delays. Martinez noted the priority is an orderly review despite the late submission on Nov. 7.
Under Section 323 of RA 7160, failure to approve the budget within 90 days of the fiscal year start results in automatic reenactment of the previous year’s budget, funding only essential expenses like salaries and basic operations. The board referred the budget to the committee during its Monday session.
The proposed P11.9-billion plan is less than half of this year’s P25-billion allocation, marking the “leanest budget in years,” according to Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, who stressed the need to align spending with revenue capacity. The PB will examine if essential services are affected by the reduction.
Department heads must attend their scheduled budget hearings; absence will lead to automatic rescheduling. For provincial hospitals, the entire deliberation is deferred if the chief of hospital is absent.
Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco said the PB will follow all procedures and review the proposal carefully, deliberating and deciding within the timeline mandated by law. (CDF)