The provincial government of Pangasinan is set to focus on healthcare, education, and other social services anew this 2026.

The bulk of its PHP8.3 billion budget this year is allocated to social services such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and related activities.

Social services received over PHP3.9 billion, PHP2.9 billion for Public Services and PHP1.5 billion for Economic Services, based on the 2026 Annual Investment Program’s priority projects.

This year’s budget exceeded last year’s PHP7.1-billion budget.

“A significant part of the increase was due to higher national tax allocation (NTA) and increased income generated locally, especially from economic enterprises,” Vice Governor Mark Lambino said in a recent interview.

According to the Pangasinan Information and Media Relations Office (PIMRO), the NTA is projected to rise from over PHP5.89 billion in 2025 to PHP6.67 billion in 2026, based on the comparative data report.

He said funding is also allocated for infrastructure development, including upgrades and the addition of hospitals such as the Umingan Supercommunity Hospital and Alcala Community Hospital.

“So, we have a lot of programs in healthcare, education, and tourism, which we hope could generate more jobs for the province, and many more,” Governor Ramon Guico III said in a statement on Thursday.

He said healthcare is an equalizer in society, hence the need to prioritize it.

“When it comes to health, we’re all equal. No one is richer or more powerful. When it comes to our bodies, we’re all the same. Sickness chooses no one. So, we have to address that through addition of hospitals, doctors, our health workers, facilities, and medical services, so that we can bring forth the zero balance billing and the basic accommodation for our provincial hospitals,” he said.

He added that 20 percent of the annual budget is allocated primarily for healthcare.

“And other income is not included, such as those from collections of hospital, from reimbursements, Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth), and other programs of the government. We treat them also as revenue for the hospital. So, we’re saving all of that so that it will become our working budget for manpower, doctors, equipment, medicines, supplies, among others,” Guico said.

He said they also target to reach two million enrolled under PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, which is an enhanced PhilHealth primary care program providing free consultations, essential diagnostics (labs, cancer screenings like mammogram/colonoscopy), and up to PHP20,000 worth of annual medicines (GAMOT) to encourage prevention and early detection.

Guico said the Umingan Supercommunity Hospital is also set to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

“It’s expensive to get sick. So, it is good if we have hospitals and we’re going to add more, as I said, I want to add 10 more hospitals to our current 14 provincial government-run hospitals,” he said.

The provincial government is expanding the facilities of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College.

“Hopefully, we’ll get the accreditation and certification so that we’ll be accredited by the Commission on Higher Education as a university,” Guico said.

He said the provincial government will build a campus in Umingan town since there is already a property in the locality.

“And we’re working with Bugallon. The problem is that there’s no access road going to the property of the province in the town. But that’s an ideal campus. That’s for Western Pangasinan,” he added.

Guico said this approach, focusing on healthcare and education, and social services as a whole, is important to alleviate poverty.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has commenced the 10-year river rehabilitation and flood mitigation project, starting with the desilting of major river systems in December last year.

Large vessels are removing accumulated sediment from river mouths, including the Agno River and Limahong Channel, to address chronic flooding caused by siltation.

Guico said dredging begins at the Limahong Channel in Lingayen and the Nayum River in Dasol.

The project, a collaboration with national agencies and local governments, will abide by environmental laws with strict monitoring to prevent over-dredging.

The initiative also includes inland dredging, solid waste management, riverbank tree planting, and support for local clean-up drives.

A new flood management department will be established to oversee the long-term efforts, Guico said. (PNA)