PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday launched a program aimed at strengthening local government units (LGUs) so that they can more effectively bring government aid and services to their constituents.
To launch the program, called “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang,” the president invited leading local government leaders to the Palace, including former vice president and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
Robredo and Domagoso had run against Marcos for president in 2022.
“Today, this administration launches ‘Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang,’ an initiative anchored on the principle that our local government must be empowered to respond to the needs of the people,” Marcos said.
“As local chief executives, you are the first to feel problems and the first to hear complaints. Because you know the real situation in your community, change starts with you,” he added in Filipino.
The president pointed out that for more than three decades, the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), in addition to the National Tax Allocation (NTA), has served as a bridge between the national government and local communities, funding numerous projects that have improved lives.
For this year, the chief executive increased the LSGF allocation to P58 billion. Part of this would go to the distribution of 60 kilos of rice assistance to over five million families to help reduce food insecurity.
Funding would also go to the construction of multipurpose halls and sports facilities which could be used as evacuation centers in times of calamities.
Farm-to-market roads and local road networks will also be supported by the LGSF, helping make trade and commerce more efficient and cost-effective for sellers and consumers.
“This will help to reduce the price of goods and increase the income of farmers,” Marcos said.
Lastly, the LGSF will help improve water supply systems and electrification projects across the country, ensuring people have better access to clean water and safer communities at night.
To make these plans more attainable, the chief executive ordered the direct release of funds to LGUs to further streamline processes and accelerate project implementation.
“Our goals can only be realized if our unity and our coordination continue,” Marcos said.
Support minus politics
Sotto lauded the program, saying the mechanism removes political patronage from the distribution of national resources to local units.
Speaking during the launch, Sotto emphasized that the 2026 LGSF allows local governments to implement projects without having to deal with external political factors.
“What’s good about it is that the funds are already allocated for LGUs, and everyone receives support, minus the politics. You no longer have to beg or make appeals,” Sotto said in an ambush interview.
Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the LGSF amounts to P57.88 billion, and is a direct-to-LGU allocation that the national government says will bankroll priority local projects identified by the units themselves.
The mayor noted that the fund empowers local leaders to retain autonomy over their development, ensuring that local priorities — rather than national mandates — are given the necessary budget.
“The funding is already set aside, and it empowers the LGU to decide what it needs. And not having someone else telling us what projects to implement. Of course, the LGU knows what its locality needs,” Sotto added.
Sotto confirmed that Pasig has already submitted infrastructure proposals specifically for the development of “green spaces and blue spaces” — projects that had remained unfunded by the local government until now.
“We have already been able to submit project proposals, particularly infrastructure proposals — projects that would be good for our city but have not yet been funded by the LGU. This is truly a big help,” Sotto said.
The 2026 LGSF expansion follows a directive from President Marcos to tap LGUs as active implementers of national projects to ensure faster delivery of services like health facilities and climate-resilient roads.
