Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has trimmed down the Palarong Pambansa 2024 budget from P405 million to P262 million.

“I had to do what I had to do,” Garcia said as he will be signing the documents for the payments to contractors.

Among those slashed, he said, were the budget for the rental of portalets and porta baths, from P21 million to P3 million; side events, from P60 million to P20 million; and LED walls, from P135 million to P50 million.

He even hinted the high possibility that the P262 million may be reduced further during the bidding process as contracts will be awarded to the lowest bidder.

The remaining P143 million will be considered as savings, the acting mayor said.

The Cebu City Government in 2023, appropriated through the general funds P200 million for the rehabilitation of the Cebu City Sports Center which was closed to the public in May 2023.

 The Cebu City council also approved the request for a P205 million supplemental budget allocation of P405 million.

 The executive department then requested an additional P74 million on top of the P405 million for the procurement of benches to be used in the games, but only P65 million was approved.

“I had that clarified... they will take care of the expenses — security, electricity, water, transportation — because the student-athletes will be billeted in schools in Cebu City. Our role is to send them to the venues. Once they get there, the host LGU will take care of the expenses. So the City will end up saving money on security, on portalets, etc.,” Garcia told media.

About 12,000 delegates from 17 regions and additional 13,000 spectators composed of the student-athletes friends and family are expected.

The Cebu City government will be billeting the delegates in the 20 public schools in the city.

Palarong Pambansa 2024  will be held in Cebu City on 6 to 17 July 2024.