Garcia seeks P635 million supplemental budget

CEBU, Philippines — Barely two months into 2025, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has submitted a request for an additional P635 million in funding to support various programs and projects, including Charter Day bonuses, the construction of the remaining floors of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), road asphalting, and livelihood assistance.

Garcia announced on Monday that the proposed Supplemental Budget 1 (SB 1) has been submitted to the Cebu City Council for deliberation. Earlier, the council approved P14.6B annual budget for 2025.

Among the key allocations in SB 1 is the distribution of Charter Day bonuses, with P25,000 proposed for regular and casual employees and P5,000 for Job Order (JO) employees. The budget also includes P140 million for road repairs through asphalting.

According to Garcia, road asphalting has been a priority of his administration due to mounting complaints about neglected road repairs over the past three years, with the exception of the South Road Properties (SRP).

The mayor said that he needed to ask for additional budget for asphalting because the allocation was cut in the 2025 annual budget. He said there are too many areas that need roadwork, and additional funds are needed to complete these projects.

CCMC construction delays and funding issues

The proposed budget also sets aside P210 million for the completion of the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of CCMC. Initially, these floors were supposed to be funded by donations collected through the Cebu Medical Society (CMS). However, Garcia revealed that the funds have yet to be turned over to the city government.

“Because until now, those donors did not turn over the money to the City of Cebu as a donation, that’s why I have been asking CMS to do so,” Garcia said.

He further expressed frustration over the delays, stating, “Akoy paninglan sa mga tawo nganong wa na mahuman ang CCMC. Kay ang donors wa nay klaro, CMS, wa nay klaro.”

Despite these funding setbacks, Garcia confirmed that bidding for the construction of the 3rd to 6th floors is ongoing, with work expected to begin within the month. The city has allocated P700 million for this phase of construction.

Livelihood assistance and economic support

SB 1 also includes provisions for additional funding for livelihood programs. Garcia noted that many small-scale vendors still require financial assistance to sustain their livelihood. Inspired by the success of the Sinulog 2025 event—where vendors were able to earn without security force interference—he is pushing for the reinstatement of the P100 million originally allocated for these programs.

“I was inspired by that nga daghan kaayo’g niduol nako nga vendors,” said Garcia.

The council had previously slashed the livelihood program’s budget in the annual financial plan, prompting Garcia to seek its reinstatement through SB 1.

In a separate announcement, Garcia detailed the city’s month-long Charter Celebration, which has a budget of P14,669,521. Activities planned for the celebration include a Valentine’s Day Fair, an Employees Wellness Hub, a Meat/Fishery Products Display, the Chorizo de Cebu Festival, a Charter Day Exhibit, Pet Day on Charter Day, the PRAISE Awards, a City Hall in Action Photo Exhibit, Adlaw sa Dilang Sugboanon, and a Testimonial Dinner, among others.

With SB 1 now up for discussion, Garcia is urging the city council to approve the budget to address pressing infrastructure needs, economic support programs, and the timely completion of CCMC. (CEBU NEWS)