Cebu’s major economies continued to expand in 2025, but growth slowed across the province and its three highly urbanized cities, reflecting a broader moderation in economic activity across Central Visayas.
Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on October 1 showed that Cebu Province, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City all recorded positive growth last year, although each posted a slower rate than in 2024.
Cebu Province recorded 2.7% economic growth in 2025, down sharply from 7.4% in 2024. Despite the slowdown, the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased to P453.76 billion from P441.65 billion the previous year.
Cebu City posted the fastest growth among the three highly urbanized cities, expanding by 5.8% in 2025. This was slower than its 7% growth in 2024, although its GDP increased from P334.35 billion to P353.81 billion.
Lapu-Lapu City’s economy grew by 3.3%, compared with 6.5% a year earlier. Its GDP increased from P176.39 billion in 2024 to P182.14 billion in 2025.
Mandaue City recorded the slowest growth among the four Cebu economies at 2.1%, down from 6.9% in 2024. Its GDP nevertheless increased from P126.11 billion to P128.75 billion.
The slowdown was also visible at the regional level. Central Visayas, which consists of Cebu and Bohol, grew by 3.7% in 2025, compared with 7.3% in 2024. The region’s economy reached P1.32 trillion during the year.
Despite the slower expansion, Central Visayas remained the largest regional economy outside Metro Manila. Regional officials pointed to nearly P35 billion in local investment approvals and continued non-residential development as among the factors supporting economic activity.
Bohol also recorded slower growth. Its economy expanded by 3.9% in 2025, down from 8.8% in 2024, when it reached P198.29 billion and was the fastest-growing provincial economy in Central Visayas.
While headline growth moderated, several industries continued to post strong gains. Human health and social work activities emerged as the fastest-growing industry across Cebu Province, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City.
The health and social work sector grew by 11.8% in Cebu Province, 13.1% in Cebu City, 12.6% in Lapu-Lapu City and 11.3% in Mandaue City.
Other sectors also registered double-digit growth in particular areas. Public administration and defense, including compulsory social security, expanded by 11.3% in Cebu Province. Financial and insurance activities grew by 9.6%.
In Lapu-Lapu City, construction grew by 11.3%, while wholesale and retail trade and the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles increased by 9.3%.
Cebu City recorded 9.3% growth in public administration and defense, while transport and storage expanded by 7.9%. In Mandaue City, agriculture, forestry and fishing grew by 8.8%, while real estate and ownership of dwellings increased by 7.7%.
At the same time, several industries contracted. Mining and quarrying recorded the sharpest decline in Cebu Province, falling by 13.4%. Lapu-Lapu City’s agriculture, forestry and fishing sector declined by 12.7%, while manufacturing in Mandaue City contracted by 2%.
The PSA said the Provincial Product Accounts provide more detailed information on the economic performance of local economies, allowing local governments and other stakeholders to identify sectors that are expanding, contracting or presenting opportunities for future investment.
The 2025 figures show that Cebu and the wider Central Visayas economy remained on an expansion path, but the pace of growth was considerably slower than in the previous year. At the same time, gains in healthcare, public administration, finance, construction, transport and other sectors helped support overall economic activity.
For policymakers and businesses, the latest figures provide a clearer picture of where growth was concentrated and which industries faced declines as Cebu and Central Visayas entered a period of slower economic expansion.
