Rotary District 3860 may decline the P1 million financial assistance approved by the Cebu City Council to reimburse expenses related to its 2026 district conference, following public scrutiny over the use of city funds.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival’s chief of staff, Kenneth Siasar, said Rotary representatives informed the mayor’s office that they were considering no longer accepting the assistance.
The city is now waiting for a formal letter from Rotary confirming its decision. Mayor Archival is expected to issue a statement once the communication is received.
The proposed reimbursement covers expenses connected to the Rotary District 3860 District Conference held from May 29 to 31 at NUSTAR Resort Cebu.
The Cebu City Council approved the P1 million allocation during its September 15 regular session. The amount was charged to the Office of the Mayor’s City Sponsored Activities–Other Activities account.
City records show that the Budget Office certified the availability of the P1 million appropriation on July 3, while the City Treasurer’s Office certified the availability of funds on August 7.
The allocation became controversial after councilors questioned the absence of clear guidelines governing financial assistance to nongovernment and civic organizations.
Councilor Harold Go asked why Rotary was selected for assistance and whether similar support should be available to other organizations. He also sought clearer evidence of the public benefit generated by the conference.
Councilor Nyza “Nice” Archival, who sponsored the resolution, defended the assistance by pointing to Rotary’s longstanding involvement in Cebu through projects involving schools, libraries, health institutions, communities and emergency response.
Councilor Phillip Zafra acknowledged during the discussion that the city currently has no definitive guidelines determining how much assistance nongovernment organizations may receive. He said clearer rules could eventually be established through an ordinance or incorporated into the annual budget process.
Importantly, the council’s approval did not automatically mean Rotary would receive the entire P1 million. The reimbursement remains subject to City Hall’s accounting and processing requirements, and only eligible expenses may ultimately be reimbursed.
Siasar said Rotary had been helping Cebu City even before the current administration and that its willingness to continue its civic work does not depend on receiving government funding.
If Rotary formally declines the assistance, the decision would remove the immediate issue of releasing the P1 million while leaving a broader question for the city government: how should public funds be allocated to private civic and nongovernment organizations, and what standards should apply to ensure consistency and transparency?
