Marcos warns LGUs: Those who profit from disaster funds will ‘face full force of law’

MANILA — (UPDATED) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday warned local chief executives not to use disaster funds for personal gain or they will face the “full force of the law.”

He said this during his speech at the ceremonial turnover of the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program funds in Malacañang.

“Pera po ito ng taumbayan at para ito sa mga kababayan nating nasalanta. Hindi ito pondo para pagkakitaan at hindi rin ito pondo para sinumang gustong magpayaman sa gitna ng ating mga nararamdaman na trahedya,” Marcos Jr. said.

The chief executive further told the local leaders that there must be “no room for corruption in this program”.

“Bawal ang ghost projects. Bawal ang mga komisyon. Bawal mga substandard na rehabilitation projects. Anyone who tries to profit from the suffering of our fellow Filipinos will face the full force of the law,” he said.

“So, to our LGUs, I enjoin you, use these funds wisely and serve our people with the honesty, the diligence that they deserve,” the president told the local chief executives.

Marcos said the program provides direct financial assistance to local government units, granting them “flexibility to identify and for you to prioritize interventions based on your local circumstances.”

At least P8.6 billion has been approved under the program to support the recovery of 306 local governments that were heavily affected by disasters from 2024 to 2026, according to Marcos.

He noted that over P6 billion has been released, while the remaining P2.5 billion has been approved and is being downloaded to local government units “as we speak”.

“It is with trust that we hand it to you based on need—no political color considered,” he told the local leaders.

The funds, according to Marcos, are meant for “important matters” including shelter, resettlement, roads, bridges, public buildings, and evacuation facilities as well as education, health services, agriculture and social protection.

Naga City Mayor and former Vice President Leni Robredo was among the attendees, with her locality receiving P20 million from the disaster rehab fund which she said will be used for drainage projects.

Robredo assured that there would be no ghost projects in her city, citing their budget transparency efforts and sector-based process.

“Dahil ‘yung drafting niya, hindi na mayor’s office, ‘yung city budget office yung gumagawa pero sektor na,” she said, noting that their budget public presentation with sectors is ongoing.  

“Hindi mangyayari sa amin yung mga singit, hindi sa amin mangyayari yung insertions gaya nung nangyari sa House of Representatives. Hindi kaya maging ghost dahil tao mismo yung nagbabantay,” she underscored.

*Robredo is also convinced of what Marcos said that no political colors were considered in the distribution of the funds, noting that the recipients came from different political affliations.*

*“Tinanong ko nga kanina kung ano ‘yung basis kasi parang may mga mayors na wala kanina. Parang ang explanation nila, ‘yun ‘yung may mga reports ang OCD na damage from present and past calamities,” the mayor said.*

Other localities that were battered by recent disasters, such as Cebu province, said that the fund would greatly help their rehabilitation efforts.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said the province hit by Typhoon Tino and a series of earthquakes received P120 million, but stressed they would need around P2 billion for the total recovery plan such as road repairs.

The municipality of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental received P50 million for rehabilitation following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in June.

Mayor Jason John Joyce said they “definitely need more” citing 7,000 damaged houses and over 20,000 families evacuated.

“This seed fund is also already a big help for us to start rebuilding schools, rebuilding homes, repairing our roads and helping our farmers,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Echague, Isabela received P100 million, according to its mayor, Faustino “Inno” Dy V, son of House Speaker Bojie Dy.

The younger Dy said the fund will be used for rehabilitation of multiple school buildings that were devasted by typhoons since 2024.

The province of Laguna, meanwhile, received P50 million from the disaster rehab fund to be used for El Niño response.