IT’S a big year for Northern Mindanao. The region is going to get P416 billion for 2026, and the leaders are getting together to decide how to use it for the best of the region.
Authorities and planners are looking at plans from 46 government groups and 11 colleges to see what they need to keep things working well. They met on February 6 at the Chali Resort to talk about it all.
The plans are now going to the top people in Manila, the Department of Budget and Management and the agency central offices.
But here’s the thing: Congress and the Regional Development Council-10 have some ideas to make things better, so the final budget might be even bigger.
Most of the money, about 54% or P224.69 billion, is going towards building things and making sure we have good water and power.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is getting the biggest part of that to build roads and protect us from floods.
The second biggest chunk, about 35% or P146.59 billion, is going to help people, especially kids.
The Department of Education is getting a lot of that to make learning better and help everyone keep learning throughout their lives.
Then we have economic development, which gets about 9% or P38.72 billion.
The Department of Agriculture is using this to build roads that connect farms to markets, so farmers can sell their stuff easier.
And finally, the Macro and Development Administration Sector asks for P6.03 billion (1.45%) for minfrastructure projects like police stations and army camps.
The final budget proposals for Northern Mindanao, including changes suggested by Congress and the Regional Development Council (RDC-10), will be sent to Manila for approval by March 2025.
RDC-10 Chair and Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo emphasized that these proposals represent more than just numbers.
“They reflect our priorities, the needs of our communities, and our shared vision for a stronger and more prosperous Northern Mindanao,” she said.
This whole budgeting process started back on January 8 with a big Regional Budget Forum.
From there, they’ve been working hard with meetings, consultations, and talks with different groups to make sure everyone's voice is heard. All of this culminated on February 4 with a big meeting.
“We are fortunate to have with us today the esteemed members of our Advisory Committee, particularly our Region 10 congressional representatives, who play a crucial role in ensuring that the budget proposals we endorse today are effectively lobbied in Congress and eventually in the Senate,” added Dimaporo.
The meeting was co-convened by Cagayan de Oro 2nd Congressional District Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez.
It’s kind of like a big family meeting where everyone gets to voice their needs and figure out how to make sure everyone gets what they need.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 is a whopping 321 percent higher than the fiscal year 2025 approved budget, reflecting the region’s growing need for funding in social, macro administration, economic, and infrastructure development.
