With major allocations in the 2026 national budget for local government units (LGUs), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla today underscored the push for stronger and more accountable LGUs that are better positioned to respond more effectively to the needs of their communities. This aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s priority to empower LGUs for more effective public service delivery.

In a Malacañang press briefing alongside Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro and Department of Budget and Management Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo today, Remulla emphasized that LGUs can restore public trust amid the irregularities in past national projects such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s flood control program.

“Ang ating Pangulo ay nagbigay ng bagong prayoridad para sa local government. Tinatama niya ang mali sa DPWH, tinatama niya ang mali sa national government, at pinapalakas niya ang lokal na gobyerno,” he said.

He added, “Ito ang kakayahan ng local government at ng Local Government Code. Sa ilalim ng ating Pangulo, pinalakas niya ito. Binigyan niya ng pondo, at binigyan niya ng tiwala na ang local government mismo ang siyang mag-uusad ng national development.”

The DILG Chief cited his experience in Cavite where an LGU constructed 16 classrooms for an estimated ₱21.5 million, compared to a similar DPWH project that cost ₱36 million—a difference of 40 to 50 percent.

He stressed that empowering LGUs reduces inefficiencies and strengthens accountability. “Naniniwala ako na habang may reforms na ginagawa ang DPWH, ang local government ang best venue para makuha natin ang maximum benefit para sa mga tao,” he said.

Remulla also highlighted the importance of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), a national government fund under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) that provides financial assistance to LGUs for eligible priority projects. The LGSF supports service delivery and local development while utilizing digital submission systems to promote efficiency, transparency, and standardization—reinforcing the core principle that public funds must serve a public purpose and be delivered through accountable systems.

Under the ₱6.793 trillion national budget for 2026, LGUs will receive a ₱1.19 trillion share in the National Tax Allotment, ₱57.87 billion in Local Government Support Fund, Growth Equity Fund for low-income and resource-constrained LGUs, and a ₱15.33 billion allocation for disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction, among others.