CEBU CITY – Cebu once again emerged as the country’s richest province.
According to the latest report of the Commission on Audit (COA), Cebu has total assets of P235.73 billion as of 2022.
GARCIA (FB)
For Gov. Gwen Garcia, the distinction of being the richest province in the country poses a bigger challenge for her to perform better.
“My greatest hope is to reduce the poverty incidence in the province of Cebu,” Garcia told reporters on Tuesday, October 10.
Garcia said being the richest province should be felt by every Cebuano.
“It becomes an even bigger challenge for me to translate that distinction into actual benefits for the Cebuanos. As I have always been saying, what good would your status achieve as the richest province in the entire country if the Cebuanos do not feel it, especially those that are in need of help?" said Garcia.
Garcia said her administration is focusing on infrastructure projects and programs that will benefit Cebuanos.
Based on the Annual Investment Plan for 2024, Cebu earmarked some P3.5 billion for health facilities and another P3.5 billion for roads and bridges.
The province is set to launch a program for students next month.
"No Cebuano child should go hungry while they are in school. So that will be a massive feeding program," Garcia said.
Garcia also announced that the province will sell cheaper rice to cushion the impact of the rising cost of basic commodities.
In the COA report, Rizal is the second richest province with assets of P35.59 billion. Batangas is third with P31.99 billion.
Davao de Oro ranked fourth with P23.1 billion while Ilocos Sur was fifth with P21.56 billion in assets.