DBM, DILG earmark P700-M for local projects

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) for the release of P700 million in financial assistance to local government units (LGUs) under the 2025 Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB) Program.

In a statement last week, the DBM said more than 40 LGUs will benefit from the program. 

Of these, 35 LGUs will implement projects to improve access to safe and resilient water supply and sanitation services, while nine disaster-prone LGUs will receive support for climate-smart evacuation centers.

DBM Undersecretary Wilford Will Wong and DILG Undersecretary Marlo Iringan formalized the agreement, while local chief executives from Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, and Surigao del Sur shared best practices in implementing SAFPB-funded projects.

The program is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen participatory budgeting and enhance the delivery of basic services at the local level.