Aquino: Initial P600M set to rebuild town halls, public markets

President Benigno Aquino lll gestures as he delivers his speech during the League of Municipalities General Assembly held at Manila Hotel on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. NINO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—The national government is set to release an initial P600 million to finance the reconstruction of town halls, public markets and other infrastructure in areas devastated by Supertyphoon ‘‘Yolanda’’ four months ago.

President Aquino said the amount would benefit a total of 228 local government units, which had submitted their respective “programs of work,” a list of specific rehabilitation projects.

He said the national government was still waiting for 43 more local government units to submit their own lists.

“Out of 271 [LGUs], 228 have already submitted their program of works worth P600 million,” he said in a speech during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines’ general assembly at the Manila Hotel.

“And because you have already submitted the program of works, the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) is committing to release the fund within 10 days from the time of submission.”

The President said the remaining 43 LGUs “have the right not to submit” a program of works. In that case, he said, the allocation would go to “others that need it.”

“Finished or not finished, pass your paper,” he told local executives, recalling a common reminder during school exams.

“But it might happen that you would rush your submission at the last minute then complain that you’re not getting help,” he warned in Filipino. “So I repeat, I appeal to the 43 [LGUs] to submit their program of works, to follow the process first.”

In the same gathering, the President called on LGUs to strive for the “Seal of Good Local Governance,” (SGLG) a project launched by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas last January.

According to the official government website, the project encourages LGUs to practice “good financial housekeeping,” “disaster preparedness,” and “social protection.”

“The SGLG is an invitation. And by doing what is right, you will enjoy this benefit,” Mr. Aquino said.

According to a DILG release, “LGUs meeting the minimum criteria shall not only be conferred with the SGLG, but will also entitle them to a package of incentives, such as the Performance Challenge Fund and access to other national performance-based programs.”

Last year, a total of 719 provinces benefited from the Performance Challenge Fund worth P1 billion, the President said.

“The Performance Challenge Fund is for all who want to fulfill their promise as public servants,” he said. “There’s no need for connections (palakasan) and credit-grabbing (pa-pogian).”