Cebu’s provincial, city and municipal leaders honored Cabinet Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. during his recent visit to the province, recognizing his appointment to the Cabinet and continued coordination with local governments.
The Cebu Provincial Government, led by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, led by Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco, joined the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Cebu Chapter, mayors from Cebu’s tri-cities, and the Liga ng Mga Barangay-Cebu Province Chapter in the recognition.
The leaders cited Abalos’ appointment as Cabinet secretary and his engagement with local governments in addressing concerns raised by communities and local officials.
The recognition was held during a thanksgiving lunch hosted by the LMP-Cebu Chapter attended by provincial, city and municipal officials, including Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Philip Lo, Baricuatro, Soco, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and mayors from across the province.
The Liga ng Mga Barangay-Cebu Province Chapter also recognized Abalos during a special portion of its third-quarter ABC Chapter Presidents Meeting through its provincial president, Celestino A. Martinez III.
The gathering also recognized two other Cebuanos appointed to national government posts.
Local leaders congratulated Lo on his appointment as Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and Usec. Atty. Bret Monsanto on his appointment as undersecretary of the Office of the President-Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
Baricuatro described Abalos as a unifying figure among Cebu’s mayors, citing his efforts to promote cooperation among local leaders despite political differences.
Soco, meanwhile, recalled Abalos’ assistance to communities affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu in October 2025.
Soco said Abalos personally provided P1 million in financial assistance to affected Cebuanos using his own funds.
The visit also highlighted the importance of coordination between national and local governments in responding to emergencies and delivering programs and services to communities.
For Cebu’s local leaders, the gathering provided an opportunity to strengthen their ties with the national government and raise the importance of keeping local concerns at the center of public service.
Comments