The term Sugbuak refers to the failed controversial splitting of the island province of Cebu in the Philippines into four independent provinces before the 2007 general election. The proposal had been a polarizing issue in provincial politics, pitting the camp of Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña and Cebu City representative Antonio Cuenco, the main proponents against the Sugbuak, against that of the proponents of the Sugbuak, Representatives Antonio Yapha, Jr., Clavel Asas-Martinez and Simeon Kintanar, all of whom were in the last terms of office in Congress at the time.
The term Sugbuak is a portmanteau of the Cebuano words Sugbo (Cebu) and buak (split or break) and roughly translates to "the splitting of Cebu" or "Broken Cebu".[1] The term Sugbuhi, on the other hand, is a portmanteau of Sugbo and buhi (giving life), roughly translating into "the giving of life to Cebu".[2]
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The idea of a Cebu split can trace its history back to 1967, when a proposal to split one Cebu congressional district into a new province failed. The candidates who ran for the province's governorship in support of the split were defeated in that year's general election due to strong opposition from the Cebuano electorate.[3]
The Sugbuak in itself, however, began in February 2005, when bills were filed by Representatives Antonio Yapha, Jr., Clavel Asas-Martinez and Simeon Kintanar proposing for a split of the province of Cebu into three provinces: Cebu del Norte, Cebu del Sur and Cebu Occidental. The three new provinces would be constituted out of the fourth, second and third legislative districts of Cebu, held by the three congressmen respectively. The remaining three districts of Cebu, in addition to the two legislative districts of Cebu City, would comprise a fourth province. The three provinces, according to their respective bills, would have their capitals in Bogo, Argao and Toledo City.[4]
According to the congressmen, the motive for the Sugbuak is to bring the government "closer to the people" and to allow the new provinces to get an increased share in the Internal Revenue Allotment, as well as to hasten the development of the districts, which were said to have been "neglected" by the provincial government.
The filing of the bills triggered a massive campaign, led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, to keep Cebu united, claiming that the motive for the Sugbuak was more political than economic. In an article published by The Manila Times, the provinces would have ended up being converted into the virtual fiefdoms of the three congressmen had the split been successful,[1] a claim bolstered by the fact that Martinez, Kintanar and Yapha were all on their last terms as representatives of their respective legislative districts. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Cebu passed a resolution supporting the Sugbuak with a vote of 8-7; however, Garcia vetoed the resolution.
Garcia's calls for a united Cebu have met with strong support from local governments, business interests, civil society groups and even the Roman Catholic Church. In August 2005, the Archdiocese of Cebu conducted a survey in all 138 parishes under its jurisdiction to gauge the level of support for the Sugbuak. 71 parishes, including the parish churches of Argao and Toledo City, had generated results opposing the division of Cebu, confirming the belief of Cardinal Archbishop Ricardo Vidal that the majority of Cebuanos would oppose the Sugbuak.[5]