Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. is confident the City Council will approve his administration’s proposed P15-billion budget for 2027, as department heads prepare to defend their respective funding requests during deliberations.
Kenneth Siasar, Archival’s chief of staff, said the executive department expects the spending plan to pass after reviewing and adjusting the allocations submitted by city offices.
“We are positive nga maaprubahan sa City Council ang atong gipangayo nga budget next year,” Siasar said during a press conference earlier this week.
He said the Office of the Mayor reviewed the funding requests and reduced some allocations before submitting the proposed budget to the legislative department.
The P15-billion spending plan was submitted to the City Council through a letter dated Oct. 7. It remains subject to the council’s review and approval.
Among the administration’s priorities are completing the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), improving solid waste management, replacing aging government vehicles and upgrading office equipment to support digital operations.
For CCMC, the city is looking beyond the completion of the hospital building to ensure it has the equipment needed to begin operating.
Siasar said the city has an existing P600-million allocation for construction but is also considering funding for medical equipment, including operating room facilities, so the hospital can provide services once the building is ready.
The administration is also evaluating long-term solid waste disposal options, including identifying another landfill site or continuing to use the existing facility in Inayawan.
Siasar said a proposal submitted to the mayor’s office would require further planning and could not be implemented immediately.
Other planned expenditures include replacing or augmenting the city’s aging vehicle fleet and purchasing computers and other digital equipment for government offices.
General services get largest share
Siasar explained that general public services account for nearly half of the proposed budget because of the daily operating requirements of frontline offices, including the City Health Department, CCMC, Department of Public Services and Department of General Services.
The proposed budget allocates about P7.06 billion to general public services, the largest spending category. Social services account for more than P4.49 billion, while economic services receive about P1.09 billion.
The spending plan also sets aside P750 million for the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, alongside allocations for barangay assistance and local development.
Archival’s budget priorities include healthcare, housing, education, flood control, traffic mitigation, climate resilience, food security and digital governance.
Siasar said the city is also considering electric vehicles as part of its transportation planning, in line with the national government’s push for cleaner and more energy-efficient government fleets.
He said electric vehicles could reduce fuel consumption while supporting environmental protection.
Despite the administration’s confidence, approval of the proposed budget will depend on the City Council’s deliberations and evaluation of the funding requests.
Department heads are expected to explain and justify their proposed allocations before the council decides on the city’s 2027 spending plan.
Photo courtesy of Nestor Archival/Facebook
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