Eastern Samar gov bats for expanded fund support for LGUs

TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar Gov. Ralph Vincent Evardone is backing the national government’s expanded Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), saying additional funding could help the province address development needs beyond what its regular revenues can support.

“Additional support from the national government can make a real difference in our ability to deliver better services and bring development closer to our communities,” Evardone said in a statement to the Inquirer.

READ: Budget scrutiny flags ballooning LGU fund

The LGSF is separate from the National Tax Allotment (NTA) that local government units (LGUs) regularly receive from the national government. 

It provides additional funding for priority projects and programs, including infrastructure and other initiatives that may be difficult to finance through regular local revenues.

Eastern Samar is set to receive more than P2.53 billion in NTA in 2026, while the provincial government expects to generate more than P222.17 million in local income.

The NTA, formerly known as the Internal Revenue Allotment, is the regular share of LGUs from national government revenues and serves as a major source of funding for local government operations and basic services.

Separate from the NTA, Eastern Samar’s municipalities have been allocated at least P390 million under this year’s LGSF-Growth Equity Fund (GEF), based on Department of Budget and Management records.

The GEF is one of the components of the LGSF intended to provide additional assistance to local governments, particularly those with limited fiscal capacity.

For 2027, the national government has earmarked P57.872 billion for the LGSF, providing a larger pool of funds for local government projects and programs.

Evardone said additional resources could allow LGUs to implement projects that might otherwise be delayed because of limited funds.

“Local governments are closest to the people. We see their needs firsthand,” he said, citing the need to improve roads, public facilities and government services in underserved communities.

The expanded LGSF is part of the Marcos administration’s effort to strengthen national government assistance to local governments. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched in February the “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” initiative, which seeks to improve government support for communities through LGUs.

Evardone also stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the use of LGSF funds, saying government assistance should translate into projects that directly benefit residents.

He said the success of the program should ultimately be measured by its impact on communities rather than simply by the amount of funding released.

“Additional resources are important, but equally important is ensuring that every peso translates into genuine public benefit,” Evardone said. /jpv