Archival eyes ‘realistic, implementable’ 2026 budget plan

Local

CEBU CITY Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. has laid out a “realistic and implementable” budget plan for 2026.

Archival said he wants to anchor it on practical revenue projections of around P9.5 to P10.5 billion, which is far lower than previous years, but with a push for revenue-generating departments to aim for as high as P11.5 billion.

In an interview on Sunday, August 10, Archival said the city’s next annual budget will be built on achievable income figures, instead of what he described as “unrealistic” appropriations based on unfunded targets.

“The practical revenue that we can expect is around P9.5 to P10 billion. I have asked the Assessor’s Office, the City Treasurer’s Office, and all revenue-generating offices to aim for P11.5 billion. That’s reachable, but our spending must still be within what we can actually collect,” the mayor told reporters.

Archival noted that department budgets in recent years were pegged on the P17 billion allocation approved for 2024 and 2025, but actual collections were significantly lower.

“Departments were preparing budgets as if we had P17 billion. In reality, we didn’t have that much. We have to start from what is really there,” he said.

The mayor has directed all department heads to prepare proposals based on their 2024–2025 spending records and to focus on priority, implementable projects.

He expects the draft budget to be ready for submission to the council between October 1 and 15, in line with the City Council’s call for earlier submission.

Archival identified several key spending priorities:

Agriculture — Establishment of model farms in both the north and south districts, provision of seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation for farmers.

Infrastructure — Road asphalting in coordination with barangays, improved garbage management, and drainage system upgrades with an updated master plan.

Health — Completion of Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) facilities, upgrading health centers to meet PhilHealth accreditation, and funding for essential services.

Education — Restoration of automatic scholarships for public high school graduates and provision of school supplies for all students from elementary to high school.

Disaster Preparedness — Acquisition of necessary equipment, updated hazard response plans, and a 5% disaster fund allocation.

Food Security — Increased local food production to reduce reliance on imports from outside Cebu.

Environment and Climate Programs — Compliance with the 10% electric vehicle mandate, installation of solar-powered streetlights, and solar systems in city buildings.

Housing — Identification of land and funding for medium-rise building projects for homeless families.

Archival said these priorities will be matched with “clear, justified, and fundable” amounts to ensure smooth budget deliberations.

“We cannot afford to pass a budget on paper that we can’t execute in reality. The people deserve a plan that can actually be delivered,” he said.

The 2026 budget process begins amid the City Council’s resolution urging the mayor to submit the executive budget earlier than the October 16 legal deadline to allow timely deliberations, especially for Sinulog 2026 preparations.

If adopted, Archival’s P9.5–P10.5 billion revenue-based proposal would be the smallest Cebu City budget in recent years, compared to the P14.6 billion approved for 2025 and the P17.9 billion proposed the year before.(TGP)