The Cebu Provincial Board will review the executive department’s proposed annual budget, which includes a 20 percent increase compared to previous allocations, during its Oct. 26, 2026 session.
Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco said the PB received the documents earlier than last year, giving members ample time to examine proposals before referring them to the committee on budget and appropriations.
Soco emphasized that PB members will scrutinize every increase, specifically requiring reports on how nearly P4 billion previously allocated to healthcare was spent before approving additional funds for hospital upgrades.
PROVINCIAL Board (PB) members will evaluate the executive department’s proposed annual budget following a 20 percent increase compared to previous allocations.
Cebu Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco said the PB received the budget documents from the board secretary mid-week, missing the day’s session agenda. He said the matter will be taken up during the session on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, before its referral to the committee on budget and appropriations.
This adjustment prompted the legislative body to scrutinize the items submitted by the executive branch. Soco said the PB intends to review the figures against past expenditures to ensure the funding increases are justified.
Early submission
Soco noted an improvement from the previous fiscal year because the current budget was submitted early, giving the board ample time to examine the proposals.
“It is better now because unlike last year when it was late, past the deadline, I mean, super past the deadline. Now, it is quite early, which is good. So, we have all the time that we can, we have, you know, a preview of how big the budget really is,” Soco said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Health allocations
The PB requested supporting financial documents and comprehensive reports from the executive department and the local finance committee. Soco said these documents are routed to the Committee on Budget and Appropriations alongside the main proposal, but early access allows the board to review them ahead of the hearings.
The inquiry will focus on major sectoral allocations, particularly healthcare. Soco underscored the need to determine how the nearly P4 billion previously allocated to health was spent before granting additional funds.
“We want to know what did you do, what did they do with the P4 billion? And if they increase, do we still need that? Would that be reasonable on top of the P4 billion this year?” Soco said.
Hospital upgrades
The health sector budget encompasses personal services, maintenance and other operating expenses and minor capital outlays. Soco maintained that upgrading provincial hospitals requires a holistic transformation and greater emphasis on capital expenditures.
“When you say upgrade, then we have to really spend for really upgrading of the hospitals in totality, not just about the day-to-day operations,” Soco said.
The legislative body will ask department heads and local chief executives to defend their budget proposals during committee hearings. Soco said every proposed increase will face strict scrutiny to protect public funds, emphasizing that the PB will not rubber-stamp any fiscal plan.
The PB will conduct committee deliberations to balance the administration’s development goals with fiscal transparency, good governance and public accountability in Cebu. / ABC