The Lapu-Lapu City Government has issued a directive enforcing strict cost-cutting measures across all departments, targeting travel, overtime, events, and utility consumption to ensure more efficient use of public resources.
Amid growing calls for tighter fiscal management at the local level, Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan issued a memorandum on Aug. 22, 2025, outlining new limits on travel, overtime, event spending, and energy consumption.
Under the new policy, government offices are restricted to sending only two personnel for local or foreign conferences, training, and seminars.
Any request for additional participants must be approved by Chan and supported by a written justification.
Employees who attend such events are expected to relay what they learned to their colleagues.
The City Government is also clamping down on team-building activities and social gatherings, warning offices against organizing such events under the pretense of “strategic planning” or “annual assessments.”
The memorandum discourages the procurement of t-shirts for city events unless deemed necessary and calls for a reduction in the number and scale of socio-cultural activities.
All departments are also required to implement energy-saving measures, including turning off lights and appliances after work, minimizing appliance use during overtime, and promptly reporting maintenance issues such as leaking faucets, faulty lighting, and toilets.
Busted or faulty lighting fixtures should be reported to the General Services Office for immediate replacement, while employees are encouraged to unplug appliances when not in use to promote energy efficiency.
Offices are also directed to limit overtime work, and instead implement a compensatory time-off system for the first 16 hours worked.
Meals and snacks during meetings, seminars or training are to be minimized.
The City Government is pushing for digital workflows as a way to reduce paper consumption.
Departments are told to avoid wasting bond paper and to reuse scratch paper when possible.
Each office was required to submit an energy conservation and reduction plan within five days of receiving the memo. / DPC