Mostly for building classrooms: ?776 million for province school concerns

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial School Board (PSB), headed by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, has given the green light to a ?776.5-million budget that will be channeled into addressing the most urgent needs of public schools in the province, with a significant portion earmarked for classroom construction.

The board’s approval came during its session on Wednesday, August 27, marking the first major budget action since its reactivation under the new provincial administration.

Of the total fund, ?500 million was allocated for building new classrooms across the province. Education officials cited the shortage of learning spaces as the most pressing challenge currently facing the Cebu division.

DepEd Cebu Province Division superintendent Dr. Senen Priscillo Paulin emphasized that the lack of classrooms has long hampered the delivery of quality education, especially in far-flung areas.

Baricuatro, who assumed office nearly two months ago, stressed that education remains her administration’s top priority.

“As long as I sit as governor, I will make sure no Cebuano is left behind,” she said.

She revealed that upon her entry into office, she discovered more than ?1 billion in unused Special Education Fund (SEF) that had accumulated from previous years.

She emphasized that government resources shouldn’t sit idle while schools struggle with basic needs.

“The government is always in the business of spending, not saving, but it must be done judiciously to protect taxpayers’ money,” she said.

Cebu provincial administrator Ace Durano earlier confirmed that the SEF balance as of July 2025 ballooned to ?1.08 billion, sourced from the annual 1% share of real property tax collections.

Under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, SEF collections can only be used for education-related purposes, as determined by local school boards.

The new spending plan also directs ?198 million for the restoration of heritage Gabaldon school buildings, many of which are in need of repair.

Other allocations include ?30 million for learning materials to boost the ongoing learning recovery program, ?13 million for school repairs, and ?12.3 million for regional and national sports activities.

The budget also sets aside ?8.7 million to support division activities in 2025, ?7.5 million for mandated regional and national events, ?6 million for robotics program development, and  ?516,600 for school furniture and armchairs.

The PSB likewise approved an expansion of its membership to include representatives from city divisions previously excluded from the provincial setup.

A representative from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will also be joining the board, strengthening its capacity to integrate technical-vocational training into education planning.

Baricuatro and Paulin will serve as co-chairpersons of the reconstituted board, alongside Provincial Board Members Raymond Calderon and Mike Villamor, who head the committees on basic and higher education respectively.

Baricuatro said the broader composition of the PSB will allow for “a more inclusive and comprehensive approach” in tackling the education challenges of the province.