P12-billion budget for Cebu province approved

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu provincial board approved the P12-billion annual budget for 2020 on its 3rd and final reading on Monday, December 2.

A little more than 52% of the budget, or P6.255 billion, will go to social services.

These include services for persons with disabilities, children’s services, among other financial assistance programs.

“We’re upbeat and optimistic with the passage of the 2020 annual budget… The budget is unprecedented and historic,” 6th District Board Member Glenn Soco, the chairperson for the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, told reporters after Monday’s provincial board session.

The budget was approved unanimously by the provincial board during its regular session on Monday.

According to board members and the executive department, it is the biggest budget in Cebu province’s history.

Meanwhile, P1,761,820,588.45 (14.86%) will go to general services, while P3,983,109,633.81 (33.19%) will go to economic services.

At least P4-billion comes from Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law in Cebu province.

Soco said there were minimal revisions in the proposed budget.

“The revisions have contained the amount appropriated for personal services which was allocated under the office of the vice government but in lieu of the amendment, it was reverted back to the… different offices of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members,” Socco said.

Meanwhile, the provincial board will get P155 million and Vice Governor Hilario Davide III’s office will get P65 million.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said she looks forward to the distribution of funds to the local government units.

“I am grateful for the trust and confidence that the provincial board has given me in the speedy approval of our 2020 budget,” she said.

Garcia added that her goal would be for the budget to be “equitably distributed among all our 7 districts, our 41 towns and 7 component cities.”

While the capital of the province is located in Cebu City, the city itself is independent of the province. The cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are also independent of the province. – Rappler.com