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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace rejects 'pork' tag on LGSF rollout, says funds meant for faster services

Palace rejects 'pork' tag on LGSF rollout, says funds meant for faster services

Published Feb 25, 2026 01:36 pm
PCO photo
PCO photo
Malacañang rejected claims that the recent Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) release was a venue to distribute pork barrel funds to influence local government officials ahead of the barangay and 2028 elections.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said that the recent “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” event was meant to sway LGU leaders politically.
“Nakakalungkot na may mga tao na puro negatibo ang nasa isip (It is sad that some people only think negatively),” she said in a press briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Castro underscored that providing funds to LGUs should not automatically be equated with pork barrel.
“Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na bibigyan ng pondo ang local government units ay ikokonsidera na ito na pork barrel (It does not mean that when local government units are given funds, it should automatically be considered pork barrel),” she said.
The Palace Press Officer stressed that cooperation between the national government and local government units is essential to deliver services more efficiently to communities.
“Kinikailangan po ng taumbayan ang tulong ng national at ng local governments (The people need the help of both the national and local governments),” she said.

Call for cooperation, not intrigue

Castro also criticized what she described as destructive politicking, saying the country needs solutions rather than accusations.
“Puro paninira, pang-iintriga – hindi po iyan kailangan ng bayan ngayon (It’s all demolition jobs and intrigue — that is not what the country needs right now),” she said.
“Suhestiyon at hindi panunumbat ang sagot para maibsan ang problemang nararanasan ng iba nating mga kababayan (Suggestions, not blame, are the answer to easing the problems faced by our fellow citizens),” she added.
The LGSF forms part of the administration’s initiative to empower local governments and accelerate the implementation of priority programs in communities across the country.
On Feb. 23, President Marcos said he had raised the LGSF to a record-high P58 billion for 2026. He likewise ordered the faster, more direct release of funds to LGUs, saying delays in the past have hampered urgently needed projects in communities.
The 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) has allocated the largest Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) in the country’s history at P57.872 billion, an increase of P34.87 billion. It includes the Financial Assistance to LGUs (FALGU) amounting to P37.492 billion, the Growth Equity Fund (GEF) totaling P11.3 billion, the Support to the Barangay Development Program (SBDP/NTF-ELCAC) amounting to P8.09 billion, and the Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB) totaling P1 billion.

Related Tags

LGSF Local Government Support Fund Claire Castro
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