‘Manna’ from the Senate: P4.2 billion inserted for Cebu infrastructure

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Province secured a significant share of the so-called “bicam insertions,” obtaining P4.2 billion worth of infrastructure projects from theP142.71 billion inserted during the Fiscal Year 2025 Bicameral Conference Committee (BiCam) budget deliberations.

A document obtained by The Freeman detailed a total of 57 projects allocated for Cebu, placing it among the provinces with the most listed projects under the 2025 BiCam-approved Senate insertions, now incorporated into the General Appropriations Act.

The document showed that the budget insertions sponsored by some senators cover various provinces and cities across the Philippines, amounting to P142,717,586,000.

Cebu’s allocation is broken down as follows: flood control (P.09 billion), roads (P1.09 billion), bridges (P100 million), buildings (P510.83 million), streetlights P(275 million), and water impounding facilities (P60 million). No allocation was listed for pumping stations or water systems.

The single most expensive project in Cebu is the construction of a multi-purpose building for the Infectious Disease Center at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City (Phase 2), valued at P160 million.

Following this, nine projects were tied as the next most expensive, each costing P150 million. Among these are key road projects such as the Cebu Toledo Wharf Road (JCT Naga-Uling) and the Dumanjug Bypass Road in Barangays Cogon and Liong. Other road works include the construction of the Barangay Kantangkas–Barangay Paculob Road in Dumanjug.

Flood control projects also received major funding, including the construction of a flood control wall at the Ginatilan River and multiple seawall protection structures in Badian and Ginatilan. A revetment wall in Barangay Kanghalo, Dumanjug, and a flood control system in Barangay Tubod-Duguan, Dumanjug, are also part of the P150-million allocation.

Another P150 million was allotted for the construction of the Cebu Provincial Capitol Building in Balamban, a long-debated project first envisioned during the administration of former governor Gwendolyn Garcia. However, new Governor Pamela Baricuatro clarified that the Capitol will remain in Cebu City and will not be relocated to Balamban under her administration.

Outside the top allocations, other high-value projects in Cebu include two revetment walls along the Mananga River in Talisay City, each costing P145 million.

Within Cebu, Cebu City topped the list with seven infrastructure projects, including two solar streetlight installations along the Cebu-Balamban Transcentral Highway. The city will also receive funding for a pedestrian overpass along the Cebu South Coastal Road and road improvements in J. Fortich Street and La Tresas Street. Two multi-purpose buildings are also funded: one in Barangay Labangon (Phase 2) and another for Vicente Sotto’s Infectious Disease Center.

On a national scope, the allocations reflect a broad strategy of infrastructure expansion, covering highways, bypasses, barangay roads, dikes, drainage systems, and slope protection structures.

Apart from Cebu, provinces topping the list of biggest allocations from Senate insertions are Bulacan (P12.08 billion), Sorsogon (P9.13 billion), Mindoro (P8.36 billion), Batangas P7.32 billion), Davao (P7.21 billion), and Misamis Occidental (P6.52 billion).

Previous Philstar reports noted that these additional allocations—commonly referred to as bicam insertions—were introduced in late 2024 during the bicameral conference committee’s closed-door deliberations.

Although the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) oversees the release of funds, it has no participation in crafting congressional insertions and is not privy to bicam discussions.

Budget rules also provide that bicam insertions are considered conditionally implemented. This means the DBM can only release funding once certain requirements are met, such as endorsements from the implementing agencies or the issuance of a joint memorandum circular.

In contrast, projects under the original National Expenditure Program (NEP) prepared by the DBM are automatically supported by general allotment release orders, allowing them to be funded without additional clearances.