Marcos vows hike in local gov’t aid funds
President Marcos on Friday vowed to increase funding for local government units (LGUs) in the next national budget, provided that ongoing government assistance programs continue to deliver positive results nationwide.
“We will continue to do this, and I’m telling all of you—do not think this is a one-time effort. But I also return the challenge to you—our government officials and our local governments—do your best in implementing these programs,” the President said in Tagalog in Batangas City.
“If the results are good, you can expect that in the next budget, we will allocate even more funds for this,” he added.
Marcos stressed that the success of government programs depends on strong cooperation between the national government and LGUs, noting that additional funding would be provided to expand their reach.
“The success and failure of these programs depend on how well we work together—the unity between the national government and local governments. If we do our jobs well, the people will see the results,” he said.
During the event, Marcos oversaw the distribution of rice subsidies to qualified beneficiaries from vulnerable sectors, including farmers, fisherfolk and teachers.
Each recipient will receive 10 kilograms of rice for six distribution cycles within the year, aimed at easing the impact of rising food prices while strengthening national food security and supporting local agriculture.
The rice distribution program is expected to benefit over 235,000 Batangueños.
Marcos also led the turnover of P200,000 financial assistance to each of the 1,078 villages in Batangas through the Local Government Support Fund.
The support package for the villages is designed to strengthen grassroots governance, with P100,000 allocated for capital outlay projects such as patrol vehicles, equipment, tents, and closed-circuit television and streetlight installations, while the remaining P100,000 will fund educational assistance.
Marcos said each village would support five “deserving” presidential scholars, who would receive P20,000 each in educational aid, reinforcing the administration’s push for expanded access to education and efforts to address illiteracy at the community level.
The simultaneous rollout of rice assistance, barangay development funds, and scholarship support is part of the administration’s broader strategy to deliver direct, immediate and community-centered interventions.
