President Bongbong Marcos signaled a funding increase for local government units in the 2027 national budget, linking the move to the success of ongoing government assistance programs. Marcos said support for LGUs will continue and may grow if current efforts produce results across communities.
“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,” he said as he led the rollout of key social and development initiatives under the “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” Program in Batangas City on Friday.
Marcos emphasized that stronger coordination between the national government and LGUs will determine the success of these initiatives. He said more funding will follow effective implementation.
“If the results are good, you can expect that in the next budget, we will allocate even more funds for this,” he added.
During the event, Marcos led the rollout of rice subsidies and financial assistance programs aimed at vulnerable sectors. Each qualified beneficiary will receive 10 kilograms of rice across six distribution cycles within the year.
The rice distribution program is expected to benefit more than 235,000 residents in Batangas. Marcos also oversaw the release of ₱200,000 in financial assistance to each of the 1,078 barangays in the province through the Local Government Support Fund.
The assistance package is intended to strengthen grassroots governance. Of the amount, ₱100,000 is allocated for capital outlay such as patrol vehicles, equipment, tents, closed-circuit television or CCTV systems, and streetlight installations.
The remaining ₱100,000 is set aside for education support. Marcos said each village will also support five presidential scholars who will receive ₱20,000 each, reinforcing efforts to expand access to education and address illiteracy at the community level.
