Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia vowed to translate Cebu’s position as the richest province to more projects that will benefit its constituents.
Garcia opened her Station of the Province Address on Tuesday night by claiming that the province is “super strong” as she enumerated her administration’s accomplishments, particularly its fiscal standing despite limited funding from the national government.
“The state of the province is strong. In fact, it is super strong,” she said. “For it is my honor and privilege to report that the state of the province is strong. With net assets of PHP309 billion as of Dec. 31, 2023, we remain the country’s richest province, with a significant increase of 74 billion from last year.”
According to her, despite the more than PHP500 million slash in the national tax allocation in 2023, the province was still able to sustain its projects and programs through robust local tax collection efforts.
She said the total tax revenues increased by 6 percent or PHP1.1 billion this year. Its collection of fees also went up by 77 percent or PHP180 million.
Despite such accomplishments, the province faces challenges that Cebuanos should address, Garcia said.
She said there is a need to preserve and guard the assets against waste and depletion and to grow these assets to ensure future generations of infrastructure.
She said Cebu’s strong financial position “should make a difference in the lives and livelihoods of the Cebuanos.”
Among the accomplishments she enumerated in her report is the construction of 19 out of 21 bridge projects.
She noted that the Provincial Capitol is about to complete the concreting of 890 km. of provincial roads and 264.26 km. of barangay roads.
To keep the communities safe at night, Garcia said, the Capitol has installed 7,858 solar lights atop concrete lamppost pedestals along 196.45 km. of barangay roads, “even as we are in the process of installing 3,129 more solar lights for 78.225 more kilometers of barangay roads, as well as 8,517 solar lights for 212.925 km. of provincial roads.”
Her administration also continued to upgrade health facilities in provincial and district hospitals, she added.
“On Sept. 23, we will install 15 more hemodialysis machines at the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City – effectively making Cebu the biggest hemodialysis operator among all LGUs (local government units) of the country,” the governor reported.
Meanwhile, Cebuano political leaders cited the leadership of Garcia for leading Cebu to a stronger province.
Ako Bisaya Party-List Congressman Sonny Lagon said Cebu’s position as the richest province in the country indicated resilience and impressive progress under the leadership of Garcia.
“This assembly of leaders signaled a cohesive commitment to the province’s development and progress,” Lagon said on Wednesday.
“Her boundless dedication and commitment to her work have truly resulted in significant projects that have brought about great change in the lives of the people of Cebu throughout the entire province,” Lapu-Lapu City lone district Congresswoman Cynthia King-Chan said in her reaction to Garcia’s address.
She said the administration of Garcia accomplished so much and brought Cebu to unprecedented heights.
“Cebu is not just strong, but super strong, and we are so proud and humbled to be part of One Cebu Island,” Chan added.
“With Governor Gwen leading the way, Cebu is still and will always be the No. 1 province in the country,” Cebu’s 6th District board member Jonkie Ouano said. (PNA)
