Governor Pamela Baricuatro has issued a strong public defense of the Cebu People's Action Center (CPAC), a volunteer-driven initiative she established, following a move by the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) to strip its funding allocation.
Provincial Board Recommends Defunding Volunteer Center
The conflict emerged after the Provincial Board, during its regular session on Monday, December 15, 2025, approved a committee report recommending the removal of CPAC's budget. The report from the Committee on Budget and Appropriations stated that the center had not yet been duly organized as an official office of the Provincial Government of Cebu.
"Given this circumstance, this committee finds that it cannot approve any allocation of funding thereto. Doing otherwise may result in a future disallowance," the committee's report warned. It noted that CPAC primarily functions to "augment manpower" for other provincial offices and lacks its own plantilla positions, relying instead on job order workers and volunteers.
Governor Baricuatro's Forceful Rebuttal
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, Governor Baricuatro responded via her official Facebook page. She explained that CPAC was created through an executive order to improve service delivery, especially to Cebu's most vulnerable residents. She argued the center is crucial for mobilizing and coordinating community response.
Baricuatro highlighted CPAC's key role during recent emergencies, including the magnitude 6.9 earthquake and Typhoon Tino. She detailed that volunteers were involved in rescue operations, relief distribution, food preparation at evacuation centers, and outreach to hard-to-access barangays.
"Service to the people is not optional. It is our mandate," Baricuatro stated. She expressed deep concern that cutting CPAC's funds would severely hamper the province's ability to provide timely assistance to families in need.
Budget Priorities and a Call for Transparency
The governor drew a sharp contrast in budget priorities. She pointed out that the province had previously approved a P25-billion budget which included funding for large-scale events like Pasigarbo Sugbo. She questioned the resistance to funding CPAC under the current P11.9 billion "People's Budget," which was crafted following public consultations.
Emphasizing accountability, Baricuatro said she would disclose how individual PB members voted on the CPAC budget issue. She also warned that the public would closely scrutinize the board's actions regarding the funding of the volunteer center.
Addressing CPAC volunteers directly, the governor thanked them for their commitment and assured them their work would continue despite the budgetary challenges. She reiterated that the Provincial Government remains focused on service delivery, transparency, and impact for the people of Cebu.
