Cebu Province gets ₱265M for health, agriculture programs

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Province has received ₱265 million from the national government for projects aimed at improving basic services and supporting local development, particularly for healthcare and agriculture.

Governor Pamela Baricuatro received the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) from Executive Secretary Ralph Recto during his visit to Cebu on Thursday, August 13.

Baricuatro said that the provincial government has submitted its proposed projects for the allocation, which will cover several priority areas.

“It is going to be on health, energy, farm-to-market roads and food security,” Baricuatro told reporters.

The allocation comes from the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), a national government fund the Department of Budget and Management administers to support priority projects of local government units (LGUs).

Support for Cebu Province and other LGUs

Other local governments in Cebu also received LGSF allocations, with much of the funding earmarked for infrastructure projects.

Cordova received an allocation of ₱20 million to improve its multipurpose building in Barangay Poblacion. Cebu City received ₱145 million for its own local projects.

Additional funding was approved for the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, which provides free or subsidized rice to low-income and vulnerable households.

Cordova received ₱5 million for the program, covering 26,000 families, while Cebu City was allocated ₱150 million for 50,000 families.

During Recto’s visit to Cordova, more than 3,100 residents from selected sectors received rice during a ceremonial distribution.

The recipients included fisherfolk, single parents, senior citizens, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, with each beneficiary receiving 10 kilos of rice.

The rice distribution is expected to take place every other month.

Barangays to receive ₱200K each

Recto’s visit also coincided with the official rollout of the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program (BBMP) in Cebu Province, which received ₱213.2 million for 1,066 barangays.

Cebu City will get ₱16 million for its 80 barangays, while Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City will receive ₱5.4 million for 27 barangays and ₱6 million for 30 barangays, respectively.

The BBMP is a national government program that allocates ₱200,000 to each barangay through the Socio-Civic Projects Fund of the Office of the President.

Half of the amount will go toward education assistance. That will allow each barangay to provide ₱20,000 to five incoming fourth-year college students under the Bagong Pilipinas Scholarship Program.

Local and national cooperation

The program prioritizes students considered vulnerable to dropping out due to financial constraints and those from families without a member who has completed tertiary education.

The remaining ₱100,000 may fund priority projects and other immediate needs identified by the barangays, subject to program guidelines.

Recto said that the funds were provided to strengthen cooperation between the national and local governments and ensure that assistance leads to better services for communities.

“Magiging matagumpay ang ating pamahalaan kung magtutulungan ang national at local government,” Recto said. (Our government will trumph if the national and local governments work together.)

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