DILG to LGUs: Take initiatives to ease public’s financial burden

(FILE PHOTO) Vendors and customers wearing face masks for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are seen inside a public market in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 5, 2021. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) should develop and carry out transformative initiatives to ease the public’s financial burden amid the surge in prices and inflation, said Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday.

“With the recent spike in prices of commodities and the aftermath of surging inflation, LGUs must gear towards transformative programs that will cushion the economic challenges felt mainly by the poorest of the poor of our constituents,” Abalos said in a statement.

He cited the R’Cebu program as an example of such an initiative as it could help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) recover from economic challenges while raising awareness about the tourism sites and destinations of the Province and thereby attracting more visitors.

R’Cebu program is a collaboration project of the Gokongwei group’s Robinsons Galleria Cebu and the Cebu Provincial Government to support local cottage industries as well as MSMEs owners.

“Ngayong patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin, malaking tulong para sa ating mga kababayan ang programang ito. Karamihan sa ating mga nasasakupan ngayon ay naghihikahos na dahil sa nagmamahal na presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin,” Abalos said.

(Now that the price of goods continues to rise, this program is a great help for our countrymen. Most of our constituents are now impoverished because of the rising prices of basic commodities.)

He added transformative programs are what the country needs to sustain the recovery from the devastating socio-economic impacts brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Isa po iyan sa mga tututukan ng ating pamahalaan sa mga darating na araw, kaya inaasahan ko po ang inyong suporta at pakikiisa upang ating maibsan ang paghihirap ng ating mga mamamayan,” he said.

(That is one of the priorities of our government in the coming days, so I look forward to your support and cooperation so that we can alleviate the suffering of our people.)

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