The Cebu Provincial Government is repurposing 17,000 leftover notebooks from the previous administration by covering printed images of former political officials with stickers bearing the Cebu Province logo. This initiative is part of a school supply distribution program for over one million students across the province, backed by a budget of more than P370 million.
Compliance with Anti-Epal Policy
Cebu Provincial School Board Focal Person Christopher Baricuatro said in an interview on Thursday, June 18, 2026, that the notebooks feature images of former governor Gwendolyn Garcia and members of the Provincial Board. To conceal the photos, the Province printed stickers with the Cebu Province logo, along with spaces for a student’s name, grade, and section.
The back covers of the repurposed notebooks contain educational materials, including shapes and numbers for younger learners and multiplication tables for older students.
Baricuatro said the remaining school supplies under the million-set procurement program will carry only the province’s official logo. “The main instruction of Governor Pam (Baricuatro) is that the students should be able to concentrate on their studies rather than looking at pictures,” the school board official said, noting that the supplies are funded by taxpayers and not by politicians’ personal funds.
Baricuatro said the move also complies with the nationwide “anti-epal” policy under Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2026-006. The directive prohibits the display of the names, images, or likenesses of public officials on government-funded items, programs, and infrastructure. He said compliance with the policy helps ensure that public funds are used for community welfare and service delivery rather than political self-promotion.
Distribution Details
More than 300,000 sets of school supplies will be distributed to Kindergarten to Grade 3 students. Each package contains crayons, pencils, rulers, writing pads, and erasers, while Grade 3 pupils will also receive a bag.
More than 700,000 sets have been allocated for older students. Those in Grades 4 to 10 will receive writing notebooks, composition notebooks, intermediate pads, plastic envelopes, and 500-milliliter tumblers. Senior high school students in Grades 11 and 12 will receive yellow pads, composition notebooks, plastic envelopes, ballpens, and 500-milliliter stainless steel tumblers.
Baricuatro said the distribution will follow a “simultaneous delivery and LGU-pickup system.” The Municipality of Consolacion will be the first local government unit to receive the supplies, depending on the delivery schedule of suppliers. The Provincial Capitol expects to complete deliveries to LGU and non-LGU school boards, including those in component cities, before August. LGUs will be allowed to pick up the supplies directly for distribution to schools to streamline logistics.
