By Jonimar Salvaloza, political science student at the University of Cebu
Cebu has long suffered from inadequate facilities and a shortage of healthcare workers in public hospitals, forcing countless Cebuanos to endure a failing system. In her State of the Province Address last August, Gov. Pamela Baricuatro placed healthcare at the forefront, approving a P1.3-billion capital outlay to upgrade all 16 district and provincial hospitals. “In 60 days, we have already found a lot of things that are wrong. In the next three years, you will see a lot of changes,” she declared — an acknowledgment of urgent reforms.
Unlike past administrations, Baricuatro redirected funds from Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and Suroy-Suroy Sugbo toward healthcare, addressing hospital upgrades, medicine shortages and Cebu’s alarming malnutrition rates. The phased budget allocates P650 million this year and another P650 million in 2026. This frames healthcare not as a service, but as a fundamental right and responsibility.
According to the Department of Health’s National Health Facility Registry (July 2024), Cebu Province has 10 hospitals, 23 infirmaries, 62 rural health units, and nearly 1,000 barangay health stations. Upgrading infirmaries to Level 1 and Level 2 hospitals is more than infrastructure — it is an investment in modern equipment, expanded services, and additional personnel. These reforms could reduce the overcrowding that forces many Cebuanos into city hospitals.
Yet infrastructure alone is not enough. The National Nutrition Council reports that 28.6 percent of Cebuano children are underweight and 29.6 percent are stunted, both higher than national averages. Tackling malnutrition highlights that preventive care is as vital as treatment. The reactivation of the Provincial Health Board ensures reforms are not temporary, but part of a long-term strategy.
Still, challenges persist. Critics warn that cutting tourism budgets may weaken local economies. Hospital construction requires time, and doubts remain about full implementation within Baricuatro’s term. Staffing is another hurdle, as many doctors and nurses continue to leave for better-paying jobs abroad or in private institutions.
Cebu is one of the country’s most vital provinces; a weakened healthcare system here threatens regional stability and national growth. Baricuatro’s prioritization of healthcare sets an important precedent, reminding leaders that progress is not measured by parades but by healthier families, nourished children and communities that feel genuinely cared for. True leadership is not spectacle, but compassion and service. Cebu’s future will not be secured by festivals, but by hospitals that heal, doctors who stay and children who thrive. If these reforms endure, they may mark the turning point where Cebu’s governance finally puts people’s lives at the center.