The province of Cebu is now debt-free and has seen improved financial health this year, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said on Friday.
Speaking at the commemoration of the province’s 452nd founding anniversary at the Capitol Social Hall, Garcia said the province had already settled its loan balance with the Land Bank of the Philippines amounting to PHP74 million last January 2021.
As of June 30, Garcia reported that the province had a total of PHP7.2 billion cash position, a PHP10 billion increase in total assets to PHP211.3 billion, and a PHP200 million hike in net income to PHP1.5 billion.
But for Garcia, these are nothing if these do not translate to basic services.
Such financial housekeeping puts the province of Cebu as the number one province in the country in terms of total assets, with the confidence and the hope to triple the income for this year amid the pandemic.
“But what do these figures mean? What would it be for someone who lives in Barangay Cansumoroy in Balamban, or in a far-off barangay, or in Malapascua Island. These are just numbers. The honor of being called the Number One Province in the country is just an empty honor if it is not felt by the Cebuanos especially those in need,” the governor said in a mix of Cebuano and English in her speech.
She said provincial government has taken on the challenge of translating these figures to actual services for the Cebuanos through infrastructure, hospital upgrades, social services, tourism-related programs, and micro-enterprise assistance, among others.
In 2019, a massive roadbuilding program rendered completion of 42.86 kilometers of provincial roads, with ongoing works on 2.45 kilometers, or a total of 45.31 kilometers; as well as 18.99 kilometers of barangay roads completed, ongoing works on 1.16 kilometers, or a total of 65.46 kilometers.
Despite the trying times, completed provincial roads in 2020 spanned 34.17 kilometers, with ongoing works on 182.86 kilometers, or a total of 217.03 kilometers. As for barangay roads, 9.09 kilometers have been completed, 60.34 kilometers ongoing, or a total of 69.43 kilometers. Total provincial and barangay road works reached 286.46 kilometers.
The figures in two years’ time render a total of 105.11 kilometers of road completed, ongoing works on 246.81 kilometers, or a total of 351.92 kilometers.
For 2021, there is ongoing works of 40.36 kilometers and a proposed 225.73 kilometers of provincial roads, 65 kilometers of roads proposed for 250 barangays, or a total of 331.09 kilometers in 2021 aside from the construction of five bridges and on to the other nine bridges; 13 covered courts and on to seven more covered courts.
Source: Philippines News Agency
