Gwen Garcia locks in Suroy Suroy Sugbo funding before exit

Baricuatro slams last-minute directive, vows review and possible revocation

Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Just weeks before stepping down, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has ordered the creation of trust funds for several provincial government programs, including her flagship tourism campaign, Suroy Suroy Sugbo.

Garcia signed Memorandum No. 36-2025, directing the Provincial Treasurer to establish dedicated trust funds for at least 15 Capitol programs, including those that Governor-elect Pamela Baricuatro has publicly declared she plans to scrap, such as Suroy Suroy Sugbo.

The order, titled “Creation and Establishment of Trust Funds for Various Programs of the Province of Cebu,” invokes Section 309(b) of the Local Government Code of 1991 and follows rules under Commission on Audit (COA) Circular 92-382, which allow local government units to earmark funds exclusively for specific purposes.

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But the incoming governor, who will assume office on June 30, condemned the move as an “abuse of fiscal power.”

“I am deeply disappointed and appalled by the recent actions of the Outgoing Governor, as evidenced by Memorandum No. 36-2025. Her last-minute attempt to manipulate the provincial budget through the creation of trust funds—just weeks before her departure—is not only a blatant disregard for the principles of good governance and democratic transition but also an outright violation of legal and ethical standards,” Baricuatro wrote in a post on Tuesday, June 17.

She added, “This act of sabotage undermines the trust placed in us by the people of Cebu and threatens the fiscal integrity of our province. It is an abuse of power designed to hinder the incoming administration’s ability to serve effectively. Such actions are a stark reminder of the need for vigilance against political maneuvers that seek to entrench influence beyond one’s term.”

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Baricuatro, who defeated Garcia in the May 2025 elections, earlier announced that she would discontinue Suroy Suroy Sugbo and Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, citing high operational costs, logistical burdens, and the need to reallocate funds toward basic services.

She warned that the trust fund mechanism could restrict her administration’s ability to redirect resources where they would mostly be needed.

“We will review, assess, and, if necessary, revoke any illegal or questionable provisions of this memorandum. We will pursue all legal remedies to ensure that the rule of law prevails and that the province’s resources are used transparently and for the benefit of all Cebuanos,” Baricuatro said.

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The trust funds ordered by Garcia cover a wide range of programs:

• Suroy Suroy Sugbo, institutionalized through a 2012 ordinance, promotes tourism caravans across Cebu’s towns and cities
• Sugbo Negosyo and Sugbo Segurado, launched in 2024 to support micro-entrepreneurship and health insurance
• Sugbo Kahanas, a 2021 skills training initiative
• Sugbo Patubig, for waterworks upgrades in Carmen and Moalboal
• Sugbo Kuryente, an energy program in Malapascua approved in 2025
• Sugbo Semento, for Capitol’s bulk cement purchases
• Sugbo Sentro, the renamed Larsian food park, turned provincial food hub

The memo also sets up trust funds for the Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board, the Capitol Lot Sales Settlement Account, the 20 percent Development Fund, and the Reforestation and Watershed Management Fund under the Department of Energy Act.

It further provides for tourism activities such as regulated canyoneering in Badian and other river-based adventures, legislated through various ordinances. The memorandum also states that any prior orders inconsistent with the new directive are automatically superseded.

Garcia suffered a decisive defeat in the May 2025 elections, losing to political newcomer Baricuatro by a margin of over 300,000 votes. Baricuatro garnered more than 1.1 million votes, while Garcia received nearly 800,000.

In the weeks following her loss, Garcia filed an election protest before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), contesting the results in over 4,100 clustered precincts. She claimed that technical irregularities and alleged vote misattribution might have affected the outcome, insisting that the official results did not reflect the “true will of the people.”