Poging GOUD - Vrij

Cebu lawmakers’ P83 billion discretion

The Freeman

|

December 02, 2025

Over the three-year period, Cebu’s solons received a combined P55.77 billion in allocables and P27.3 billion in non-allocables.

These allocables, discretionary district allocations inside the DPWH budget — function as a new form of “pork barrel.”

The formula behind these allocations is the so-called “BBM Parametric Formula”— Baselined, Balanced, and Managed, a system known allegedly only to former DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.

WORTH A BILLION FOR CEBU

The Freeman scraped that data that was provided from PCIJ.

With it, data showed that Cebu’s Ist District, represented by Rep. Rhea Mae Gullas, received the largest allocable share: P2.76 billion per year, or P8.33 billion from 2023 to 2025.

Rep. Edsel Galeos of the 2nd District got one of Cebu’s lowest at just P858.9 million per year, totaling P2.6 billion for the three years.

Third District Rep. PJ Garcia received P6.05 billion, while 4th District Rep. Janice Salimbangon controlled P5.31 billion.

Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco obtained P6.63 billion, among the province’s consistently higher allocations.

Sixth District Rep. Daphne Lagon controlled P3.95 billion, while the 7th District under Rep. Peter John Calderon received P3.92 billion.

MEER VERHALEN VAN The Freeman

The Freeman

TOP eyes fresh funding to fuel expansion plans

Cebu-based Top Line Business Development Corp. is gearing up for a significant capital-raising push after shareholders approved the reclassification of 800 million unissued common shares into preferred shares—paving the way for fresh funding to accelerate fuel importation, depot expansion, and retail network growth.

time to read

1 min

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

The Freeman

Teen flood hero in Liloan gets national recognition

Nearly a month after Typhoon Tino ravaged parts of Cebu, a 15-year-old boy from Liloan is being hailed as a young hero after risking his life to rescue neighbors trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters, earning him national recognition.

time to read

2 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

City's ban on e-bikes, e-trikes gains traction from LTO order

This was confirmed during Senate budget deliberations, where the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and LTO committed to stricter regulation. Senator JV Ejercito, who sponsored the DOTr budget, relayed that violators would face automatic impounding of their units once the directive takes full effect.

time to read

4 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

PRO-7 starts security preps for Sinulog, ASEAN meetings

In preparation for the Sinulog 2026 celebration and the ASEAN meetings in January next year, the Police Regional Office-7 conducted full-scale simulation exercises (SIMEX) to assess regionwide interoperability and security readiness.

time to read

2 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

OCULAR CONFLUENCE

The Cebu-headquartered Portrait Artists Society of the Philippines Inc. (PASPI) and Galerie Raphael red-lettered November's calendar of creative fetes in Cebu with “Ocular Confluence” — an art-for-a-cause exhibit that pledged funds to benefit Typhoon Tino survivors.

time to read

1 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

Carla engaged to non-showbiz partner

Weddings bells will indeed be ringing soon for actress Carla Abellana and her non-showbiz boyfriend. Marriage rumors stirred after Carla posted on social media a photo of her left hand sporting a diamond ring, and a man's hand clasping her fingers.

time to read

1 min

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

The Freeman

Flood scandal backfires as Marcos ratings dive

Despite ordering an investigation into corruption-tainted flood control projects, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. continues to face an erosion of public support.

time to read

1 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

The Freeman

Cebu City okays P13.4B budget

FOR 2026

time to read

1 min

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

Weak peso fuels government debt to P17.56 trillion

The country’s outstanding debt exceeded this year’s full-year projection by more than P200 billion following the peso’s record-low performance against the dollar.

time to read

1 mins

December 04, 2025

The Freeman

A sign of survival

The recent natural calamities that ravaged many parts of Cebu island and brought unquantifiable misery to many Cebuano families also affected the trees that I have planted in Barangay Paril here in Cebu City.

time to read

2 mins

December 04, 2025

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size