Marcos to local officials: If you run it well, your budget will increase
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (RTVM)
President Marcos has assured local officials that their budget will increase if they run the programs funded by the national government well.
In his remarks during the turnover of financial assistance to barangays in Eastern Visayas on Thursday, April 30, Marcos told local officials the national government's intention to increase the financial support given to them.
But, they have to ensure that they run the programs well.
"Siyempre, gusto pa rin natin dagdagan. Kaya sinasabi ko sa ating mga local government official (Of course, we still want to increase it. That’s why I’m telling our local government officials): if this becomes a success, if it is run well, if you run it well— you will be running this program, not the national government— if it is run well, asahan ninyo ang next budget, dadagdagan natin sa susunod na taon (you can expect that in the next budget, we will increase it in the following year)," Marcos said.
The President emphasized that local government units, especially barangays, know better which projects and programs should be implemented in their communities. Thus, the national government initiated the provision of financial support.
"Kaya sabi namin bigyan na natin, imbes na tayo pa sa national government ang nagsasabi sa local government kung anong kanilang pangailangan, ay makinig tayo sa kanila (That’s why we said we should go ahead and provide it, rather than the national government telling local governments what their needs are, we should listen to them)," Marcos said.
"And that's why binuo namin itong programang ito, binababa natin sa local government ang LGSF (local government support fund), at iniiwan na lang natin (And that’s why we created this program, we are transferring the LGSF to local governments and simply leaving it in their hands)," he added.
During Marcos' visit to Tacloban City, he witnessed the rollout of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program under the LGSF and the turn over of financial assistance to barangays across Region VIII.
The national government’s educational assistance under the "Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program" was also among the support turned over to the province, which aims to help 690 students.