Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos, Jr. prodded disaster-stricken localities to access the government’s P5.58-billion financial aid fund for recovery process under the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance (LGSF-FA) on or before the end of September.

“Calamities and disasters are realities that we are accustomed to. Hence, the government continues to find ways to assist disaster-stricken LGUs through the LGSF-FA. We recognize that our LGUs need our help kaya naman (that is why) we urge them to take advantage of the financial assistance LGSF-FA has to offer,” Abalos said.

Abalos stressed that the LGUs severely affected by weather turbulence and disasters in 2022 must grab this opportunity and support being offered under the LGSF-FA.

He added that the assistance is meant to augment the concerned LGUs’ budget resources, ensure smooth implementation of their projects and most importantly, recover from the destruction the disasters caused.

Abalos stated this move is timely and apt given that there are provinces, cities and municipalities that are still recovering from severe tropical storm ‘Florita’ and the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Northern Luzon last July.

“This is the government’s way to ensure that immediate assistance is extended to them,” he added.

The DILG chief also emphasized that the new requests submitted beyond Sept. 30 will be automatically returned to the requesting LGU without any action as the department will endorse all eligible and compliant requests to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) immediately after the deadline.

In a recent advisory, Abalos stated that to avail of the LGSF-FA, interested LGUs must prepare and submit the Special Budget Request (SBR) signed by the local chief executive to the DILG with supporting documents.

If applicable a certification proving that undisbursed balances from 2016 to 2020 LGSF-FA have been returned to the National Treasury must likewise be submitted.

Abalos also underscored that the LGUs must ensure that utmost priority is given to programs and projects that are related to disaster response, rehabilitation and recovery.

“We call on our mayors and governors to focus the allocation and utilization of the LGSF-FA on rehabilitation, reconstruction, and rebuilding programs in order to lead their localities to sustainable recovery,’’ Abalos stressed.

He also clarified that the limit for LGUs set by DBM will not apply to calamity-stricken LGUs as the DILG will be the one to determine the allowable amount of allocation for qualified LGUs.

In the evaluation of requests, Abalos explained that the DILG will base the amount per beneficiary LGU on the proportionate amount of damages incurred on infrastructure and agriculture as reflected in the Situational Reports of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) Report.

Abalos explained that initially, the LGSF-FA can only be used by recipient provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays for their infrastructure and repair programs and other projects under Special Provision No. 2 of the LGSF in the 2022 GAA.

“But with the DBM’s amendment on its Local Budget Circular 142, the said fund was made available to disaster-affected LGUs,” Balos said. (Chito A. Chavez)