A Shift from Repair to Readiness

CEBU CITY — Gov. Pamela Baricuatro used her second State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Monday, Aug. 31, to shift Cebu's focus from fixing past problems to preparing for future challenges. She outlined her administration's priorities for the next 12 months, covering health care, agriculture, disaster readiness, water security, education, transportation and infrastructure.

"Cebu is no longer standing still. Cebu has been recovering. Cebu has been rebuilding. And Cebu has been moving forward with purpose," Baricuatro said during her 2026 SOPA, as reported by The Manila Times.

Baricuatro recalled the province's initial struggles, quoting her earlier description of Cebu as "Guba. Gubot. Gutom" — broken, chaotic, and hungry. "Because you cannot repair what you refuse to recognize. You cannot heal what you are afraid to name," she said, according to SunStar Publishing Inc. She emphasized that her first year centered on six key result areas: housekeeping, health care, hunger, happiness, partnerships and linkages, and predicting and preparing Cebu for future development.

"Ang maayong panggobyerno magsugod sa maayong housekeeping," Baricuatro said in Cebuano. "Kon hapsay ang sistema, klaro ang proseso ug ang padulngan sa matag sentimo, mas paspas ug mas tarong ang serbisyo sa katawhan." (Good governance starts with good housekeeping. When the system is organized, the processes are clear, and the destination of every centavo is accounted for, public service becomes faster and more )

Financial Reforms and Housekeeping

Baricuatro highlighted structural reforms aimed at improving financial discipline and procurement transparency. The administration adopted the 2026–2028 Public Financial Management Improvement Plan and settled P63 million in unpaid obligations dating back to 2018, according to both The Manila Times and SunStar.

In her first SOPA, Baricuatro had revealed that the Provincial Government was carrying P1.1 billion in debt, mostly from infrastructure projects, SunStar reported. The new measures included live online bid openings and the integration of GCash payment options in frontline services. Over P1 billion was transferred directly to local government units and barangays, and permanent personnel appointments rose 396 percent.

"We did not wait for perfect conditions. Patients could not wait. Families could not wait," Baricuatro said, referring to hospital deficiencies she said the province faced on June 30, 2025.

Healthcare: Investments and Expansion

The province invested P4.8 billion in its hospital system, including more than P650 million for equipment and infrastructure, according to The Manila Times. Patient meal allocations were doubled from P150 to P300 per meal. All 16 provincial and district hospitals are now PhilHealth Yakap-accredited and provide 24-hour laboratory services.

As of July 2026, the province reported 325 doctors, 818 nurses, 159 medical technologists, 56 pharmacists and 1,422 support personnel, along with 73 medical course scholars for school year 2026-2027. For the coming year, the province plans to expand the Provincial Health Office with a medical and dental clinic and an Animal Bite Treatment Center, and to upgrade the Argao and Malabuyoc district hospitals from infirmaries to Level 1 hospitals. The province also plans to install septage treatment plants in all 16 hospitals and establish the Amping Bantay Provincial and District Hospitals system.

Agriculture and Hunger Programs

In agriculture, the province will propose a larger budget for seeds, equipment, irrigation, post-harvest facilities, market access and modern agricultural technology, The Manila Times reported. Over the past year, the province established five corn-processing sheds, distributed machinery, livestock and seeds, and constructed five small farm reservoirs. Four People's Markets are under construction in Medellin, Poro, Carcar City and Danao City. The Bigay-Bigas sa Masa program distributed 312,500 10-kilogram rice packages to sectoral beneficiaries. SunStar added that the province funded 188 smart classrooms and 260 temporary learning shelters, and ran a 120-day feeding program for Grade 2 learners.

Disaster Readiness and Water Security

Cebu is preparing for a possible Super El Niño, and the province plans two satellite warehouses in northern and western Cebu for disaster preparedness. The PDRRMO has been established as a full department, and feasibility studies for flood control, watershed management, and a three-site waste management system are supported by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, SunStar reported.

Under the province's 10-year Water Security Plan, Cebu is targeting an additional 29 million liters per day from existing treatment projects and another 15 million liters per day for Dalaguete, Pinamungajan and Alcantara by next year. The province is also pursuing long-term flood-control and water-security projects including waterway clearing, retention systems, and stronger early-warning systems.

Transportation and Infrastructure

The Tabang PangByahe program is scheduled to roll out by October, funded by the Department of Transportation and supported by the LTFRB. Six transport cooperatives are expected to receive electric buses, and the next phase will add routes and eventually expand to Bantayan and Camotes. The province also reported securing P900 million in external funding from national government agencies, and facilitated private investments in renewable energy, including solar in Daanbantayan and wind in Alegria.

Oversight and Next Steps

Vice Governor Soco, quoted by SunStar, said he hopes economic development was mentioned in the SOPA. "There are also points and things that were not mentioned, and we need to work on those," Soco told reporters.

Baricuatro said the programs for the next year would be monitored for timelines and implementation. She described the province's direction as moving "from repair to readiness, from assistance to lasting opportunity, and from isolated programs to integrated systems."