For nine consecutive years, the Province of Cebu remains the wealthiest province in the country with total assets of P235.7 billion, based on the latest findings of the Commission on Audit.
With assets climbing to 235.7 billion in 2022 or an increase of P20.43 billion from P215 billion in 2021, Cebu continues to maintain its lead among the 81 provinces covered by the COA 2022 Annual Financial Report.
In an interview Tuesday, Governor Gwen Garcia said the distinction poses a bigger challenge to her and the Capitol team.
“Actually it gets to be an even bigger challenge for me to translate that distinction into actual benefits for the Cebuanos," the governor said.
She said the Capitol has been looking for ways to uplift the lives of Cebuanos or at least reduce the poverty incidence in the province such that the distinction of being the wealthiest province will be translated down to all Cebuanos.
"We have addressed infrastructure, and we continue to address infrastructure. We have implemented programs that helped Cebuanos help themselves," she emphasized, referring to the Capitol's programs like the Sugbo Negosyo, Sugbo Kahanas, SugBusog, among other key programs of the Province.
"My latest, which we shall soon launch on the 15th of November, hopefully if everything gets prepared by then, no Cebuano child should go hungry while they are in school," she said.
Capitol has long been planning to implement a province-wide feeding program in all public schools of Cebu, including the city divisions of Mandaue, Talisay, Carcar, Toledo, Naga, Danao, and Bogo, which will benefit all Cebuano learners regardless of their nutritional status classifications.
In fact, Capitol has already implemented the same initiative in its quarterly caravan, where beneficiaries are fed hot and nutritious porridge or what is commonly called in the vernacular as “pospas” meals.
Following Cebu province are Rizal (P35.6 B), Batangas (P32B), and Davao de Oro (P23.11 B), who also maintained their positions in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the cities of Mandaue and Cebu also remain among the top 10 richest cities in the country.
However, Mandaue took over Cebu City from seventh place in 2021 with P34 billion worth of assets. Cebu City has now gone down to the eighth spot with P30 billion worth of assets, lower than its P33.3 billion in 2021. | Babie Jane Revecoy