Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has hinted at reviving the province's flagship grand festival this August under the new name "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" using a shorter format featuring only district winners. The festival revival idea gained traction online following a June 1, 2026, social media post, which comes a year after Baricuatro announced plans to cancel the expensive "Pasigarbo sa Sugbo" event. The potential revival addresses earlier provincial plans from January 7 to cut tourism costs and reprogram those funds directly into improving local district and provincial hospital healthcare programs.
Festival Revival Buzz
The buzz started on June 1, 2026, when a popular Facebook page called Cebu Festivals asked its 68,000 followers: "What if ibalik ni Guv. Pam ang Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and rename it as Pasundayag sa Sugbo para karong Cebu Province Founding Anniversary? Uyon ba mo?" On Friday, June 5, Governor Baricuatro herself commented, showing clear interest. She wrote, "Why not??? It crossed my mind baya! Nice ni nga name ha? Pasundayag sa Sugbo. Let's showcase the Cebu Festival winners per district lang siguro para dili maabtan og kadlawn." By Tuesday afternoon, June 9, the post and the governor's comment had gathered hundreds of reactions, comments, and shares from excited netizens.
The Name Change
Following the massive online attention, the Cebu Festivals page issued a statement on Friday, June 5, to clarify that the name "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" was just their own creative suggestion and not an official government decision yet. "We would like to clarify that this was merely our idea and opinion on what the festival could be called under the new administration. It was not an official announcement nor a confirmed decision from the Cebu Provincial Government or Governor Pam Baricuatro," the page coordinators explained.
Balancing Culture and Healthcare
The online discussion also touched on a deeper debate among locals regarding how the province spends its money. When Governor Baricuatro first took office after winning the election on May 12, 2025, she planned to stop Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and the "Suroy-Suroy Sugbo" tourism program, noting that both were too expensive and faced logistical safety issues. Earlier this year, on January 7, the governor stated she wanted to take money previously used for these tourism programs and move it directly into improving local district and provincial hospitals. "We will cut the cost for the Pasigarbo and Suroy-Suroy and reprogram it to our healthcare program," Baricuatro said. Addressing these concerns, the Cebu Festivals page argued that the province does not have to choose between keeping people healthy and celebrating its heritage. "The Provincial Government can improve hospitals and healthcare while also investing in culture, tourism, and the creative industry. These goals are not mutually exclusive—they can move forward together," the page shared.
Cebuano Pride
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo was originally launched in 2008 as a massive competition allowing towns and cities across Cebu to showcase their local festivals, traditionally held every August to celebrate the founding anniversary of Cebu Province. Its sister program, Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, was created in 2004 to introduce travelers to various towns through curated travel packages. While the governor's new idea of hosting only the reigning district winners would drastically cut costs and keep the event from running past midnight, the final decision remains uncertain. Cebuano culture lovers will be watching closely as August approaches to see if "Pasundayag sa Sugbo" officially takes the stage.
