The Department of the Interior and Local Government is urging local government units who were stuck by calamities and disasters to access the P5.58-billion financial assistance to fund their recovery process under the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance on or before 30 September 2022.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. stressed that the government continues to find ways to assist disaster-stricken LGUs through the LGSF-FA.

"We recognize that our LGUs need our help that's why we urge them to take advantage of the financial assistance LGSF-FA has to offer," Abalos said.

He added that LGUs that were adversely affected by weather disturbances and disasters that occurred this 2022 must grab this opportunity and support offered by the LGSF-FA to augment their budget resources, ensure smooth implementation of their projects and recover from the destruction the disasters caused.

Abalos also stressed that the move is timely and apt given that there are provinces, cities, and municipalities that are still recovering from Severe Tropical Storm "Florita" and the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit Northern Luzon in July.

"This is financial assistance for our LGUs so that they can cope with and recover from the damage caused by the calamities in their area. This is the government's way to ensure that immediate assistance is extended to them," Abalos said.

The DILG chief also emphasized that new requests submitted beyond 30 September will be automatically returned to the requesting LGU without any action as the agency will endorse all eligible and compliant requests to the Department of Budget and Management immediately after the deadline.

In a recent advisory, he said that to avail of the LGSF-FA, interested LGUs must prepare and submit the Special Budget Request signed by the local chief executive to the DILG with supporting documents.