Malacañang has doubled Cebu Province’s Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) allocation to P720 million, expanding support for food security and critical rural infrastructure initiatives under Governor Pamela Baricuatro.
The additional P360 million from the Office of the President augments the initial P360 million earlier granted, enabling the provincial government to widen the scope of priority projects.
Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces said the new funding will prioritize interventions that directly support the province’s food supply chain, particularly by improving farm-to-market connectivity.
A substantial portion will fund strategic farm-to-market road projects to facilitate the movement of agricultural goods from production areas to local markets.
“Ang additional 360 million nga LGSF from the office of the President gi-allocate siya for strategic road farm to market mechanism to support kaning food security program ni Gov (Baricuatro),” Empaces said.
Provincial officials expect the road improvements to lower transportation costs, reduce post-harvest losses, and accelerate the delivery of essential commodities across Cebu.
They also view the projects as long-term investments to stabilize the supply of staple food, particularly rice, amid external supply uncertainties.
Empaces clarified that the funding forms part of the national government’s regular assistance program to help local government units address urgent needs and fast-track projects that may be delayed due to limited local resources or National Tax Allotment.
He added that Malacañang directly informed the provincial government of the additional allocation, which is being processed through the Department of Budget and Management portal as the second tranche.
According to the provincial government, the assistance was based on previously identified and submitted project proposals, emphasizing that the allocation is program-based and not a political favor.
Earlier, on February 23, Governor Pamela Baricuatro personally went to Malacañang Palace to receive the initial P360 million under the LGSF.
From the first tranche, P150 million was allocated for rice assistance benefiting more than 30,000 families across 10 local government units, with each household set to receive 10 kilograms of rice.
Another P150 million was earmarked for priority infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads and road works in the municipalities of Sogod, Tabuelan, and Tuburan.
Parallel to these efforts, the provincial government has been closely monitoring Cebu’s rice inventory following concerns over potential supply disruptions.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Ace Durano coordinated with the Department of Agriculture to augment rice stocks from alternative sources, including Thailand, while awaiting new shipments from Vietnam expected to arrive in early March. (SBA)
