CHED-7 exec snubs PDC meeting, censured

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Development Council (PDC), led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, has censured the regional director of the Commission on Higher Education in Central Visayas (CHED-7) for failing to attend the two-day PDC meeting held at the Capitol on March 3 and 4.

During the meeting at the Capitol Social Hall, Provincial Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco proposed a motion to censure CHED-7 director Maura Consolacion Cristobal for snubbing the council.

Soco also moved to omit CHED's proposed programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) from consideration. He further suggested that the council should neither “approve nor entertain” the agency’s proposals due to the absence of its regional director. The motion was approved en masse.

“A motion to omit the PAPs if there’s any of CHED, and likewise even move for the Provincial Development Council to censure the person, the regional director of CHED, in her utter disregard for the Provincial Development Council,” Soco stated.

PDC’s endorsement is necessary for CHED-7’s programs, activities, and projects to be considered by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Cristobal did not attend the meeting and was absent even on the second day, despite the council's request for her presence. Instead, she sent a representative on the first day but did not send anyone on the second day.

Governor Garcia expressed her disappointment, emphasizing that Cristobal’s attendance would have provided an opportunity to address critical concerns raised by local officials.

“(It) would have given her the opportunity to answer some questions coming from a number of our mayors, particularly from Catmon, Alegria, and Argao, whose constituents were unable to enroll for a college course because they had been counting on allowing CHED, allowing these LGUs to conduct classes in temporary facilities while waiting for the buildings that the province of Cebu has committed to build or to construct,” Garcia said.

Garcia has ordered the secretariat to furnish copies of the resolution to the office of Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, CHED Chairman Dr. J. Prospero de Vera III, and the Office of the President.

The Freeman attempted to obtain a response from CHED regarding the issue, but no reply was received as of press time.

Out of over 20 national government agencies that presented their PAPs for 2026 in Cebu Province, CHED was the only agency unable to present its proposed P179 million budget.

Other agencies, including the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), were asked to revise and amend their PAPs before submission to the Office of the Governor.

Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante moved to require these agencies to submit corrected PAPs. However, Garcia amended the motion, stating that she did not want to unilaterally approve the proposals. Instead, she emphasized that the PDC’s executive committee (execom) would review and sign the amended PAPs by referendum.

Incentives

In a separate development, mayors and provincial board members who attended the PDC meeting, which lasted until midnight on March 4, will receive financial incentives from the Capitol. Each official will be granted P5 million per day of attendance for their respective programs and projects, meaning those who attended both days will receive P10 million.

“However, such amount will be contingent upon numbers one, two, and three – submission of all the projects implemented, the accompanying photos, and thereafter the validation of our PPDO and the engineering office,” Garcia told the mayors.

Provincial board members present at the meeting will also receive the same incentive for each day of attendance. — /FPL (FREEMAN)