The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Cebu has advised the Office of the Governor to formally establish the Cebu People’s Action Center (CPAC) through an ordinance before any public funds are released for its operations.
The recommendation was raised during the SP’s final regular session for 2025 on Monday, December 22, as lawmakers reviewed the proposed funding for CPAC, a body recently created by executive action.
Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III said the move aims to remind the executive branch to strictly observe legal procedures in creating provincial offices eligible for budget allocations.
“To call the attention of the executive nga di pa sila ka-allocate in accordance to law,” Martinez said during the deliberations.
He noted that CPAC has not yet been established through an ordinance, which is a legal requirement before it can be treated as a regular provincial office entitled to funding.
“Wala pa man gud siya na-create og ordinance. Ig himo na niya into office, dili siya pwede via executive order. Once makahimo na, pwede na ma-allocate’an,” he added.
Martinez explained that under existing rules, CPAC should first be placed under the Office of the Governor before the SP can approve a supplemental budget for its operations, particularly for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE).
Despite this, he clarified that CPAC may continue operating in the meantime, saying,
“Maka-operate gihapon kay mao manay gibuhat nila at the moment.”
However, Martinez recommended that the executive branch amend the current executive order, noting that it lacks specific provisions on fund distribution and operational functions.
“I would like to recommend to the Executive that they will amend the executive order. Wala man gud ang functions ang pag-distribute,” he said.
He emphasized that the issue does not question CPAC’s services but focuses solely on compliance with the law.
“This is not about whether right or wrong kung unsay serbisyo gihatag sa CPAC. It’s just that they need to follow the law,” Martinez stressed.
Meanwhile, Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces explained that CPAC was initially designed as a compliance and information-management mechanism aligned with the Citizen’s Charter, intended to streamline the handling of public concerns.
“It’s really to get information, process the information, relay it to the department whether legal services or engineering or whatever para matubag dayon ang concerns,” Empaces said.
He clarified that CPAC’s involvement in disaster response, including during Typhoon Tino and a recent earthquake, was merely an expansion of services, adding that relief operations remain under the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).
Empaces said CPAC was originally conceived as a program under the Provincial Information Office (PIO), not as a standalone office, and discussions are ongoing on whether to amend the executive order, a matter that will be elevated to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The Office of the Governor has proposed a P14-million budget for CPAC, which was created through Executive Order No. 5, Series of 2025, signed on June 30, establishing it as a 24/7 centralized response hub and multi-channel platform for public complaints, inquiries, and suggestions. (SBA)
