TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday announced the expansion of direct funding to local government units (LGUs), alongside new food assistance and scholarship initiatives, as part of efforts to strengthen coordination between national and local governments.
In a speech delivered before governors, mayors, and other local officials at the Tacloban Convention Center, the president emphasized the need to close long-standing gaps between national policies and local implementation.
READ: Marcos vows increased local gov’t support fund if properly used
Drawing from his experience as a former governor of Ilocos Norte, he said the disconnect had often slowed down service delivery.
“This is a new system we are building — strengthening the partnership between the national government and local governments,” Marcos said.
He noted that many national programs fail to reach citizens effectively without local cooperation.
The president highlighted reforms to the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), a national fund intended to assist LGUs.
He said the fund had previously been underutilized or diverted but is now being directly allocated to governors, city mayors, and municipal leaders.
“We are now giving the LGSF directly to local government executives so they can respond to the real needs of their communities,” he said.
Amid rising global oil prices and inflation, Marcos said the government would prioritize food security.
Under the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program, the government has begun distributing 10-kilogram sacks of rice to vulnerable households.
He assured beneficiaries that the assistance would not be a one-time effort.
“This will not be a one-time distribution. We will provide rice every two months, six times a year, to ensure food supply,” he said.
In the Eastern Visayas Region alone, the program targets over 241,000 families. In Tacloban City, an initial 500 families will receive rice aid.
The president also launched the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (Every Barangay Benefits) program, which allocates P200,000 to each of the country’s approximately 42,000 barangays.
Half of the fund (P100,000) will be used to support five “presidential scholars” per barangay, with each student receiving P20,000 as a “finisher fund” to help them complete college.
“The goal is to help students who are close to graduating but lack the financial means to finish,” Marcos said.
The remaining P100,000 will be used for barangay-identified priority projects, allowing local officials flexibility in addressing urgent community needs.
For Tacloban City, the program will support 690 scholars and provide development funds to its 138 barangays.
The president reiterated his administration’s “whole-of-government” strategy, stressing that local governments are better positioned to identify and address community needs.
“Local governments know their problems — and often, they also know the solutions,” he said.
He also cited the decision to involve LGUs in school-building projects, saying this would speed up construction and address classroom shortages more efficiently than relying solely on the Department of Education.
The president underscored the importance of education, urging scholars to take advantage of government support.
“Education is a wealth that cannot be taken away from you. It will stay with you for life,” he said.
The administration aims to support more than 200,000 students nationwide through the scholarship initiative by the 2026–2027 academic year.
Marcos said future funding for LGUs could increase if the programs are successfully implemented.
“If this program is run well, you can expect a larger budget next year,” he told local officials.
The initiatives form part of the administration’s broader strategy to accelerate service delivery, reduce poverty, and ensure that government assistance reaches communities more quickly and equitably.
Among the local officials who were present were Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and his nephew, City Councilor Marty Romualdez, son of former Speaker Martin Romualdez; Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan, Northern Samar Gov. Christopher Harris Ongchuan, and Eastern Samar Gov. Ralph Vincent Evardone. /jpv /atm