Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday announced that 75 local government units (LGUs) from across the country will receive a total of P13.33-million to be used for the improvement of water supply and sanitation in their respective localities.

The amount will come from the Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting (SAFPB) program, as prescribed by Republic Act No. 11975 or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2024.

SAFPB is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at strengthening the partnership and collaboration between LGUs and civil society organizations (CSOs).

In his speech during the SAFPB event held in Cebu City, Abalos reminded the LGUs to be accountable and make sure that the fund will only be used on its intended purpose of improving their water sources and sanitation facilities.

“Pag-binigay namin sa inyo ang benepisyo, may kasama itong mga responsibilidad. Even if you mean well, gamitin natin ng tama ang pribilehiyo na naipagkaloob sa inyo,” he said.

The program covers projects ranging from the construction, expansion, and rehabilitation of Level III water supply systems or existing sanitary toilets and hygiene facilities for public places.

Abalos added that despite the recent improvements in water and sanitation, more localities still need crucial assistance from the government, especially those without an identified water source and those that are geographically isolated.

The DILG chief elaborated that the program is in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s call of increasing local access to reliable and clean sources of water.

The program is also in line with the Philippines’ Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), which was institutionalized by the President through Executive Order No. 31 dated 20 June 2023.

“We shall comply with this directive of the President. Lalo na ngayon na may El Niño, we must not just govern but also foster a culture of genuine engagement so that workable solutions could flow from there,” Abalos emphasized.

In the same speech, he also called for the support of the LGUs towards the department’s other initiatives, such as averting rising HIV-AIDS cases among the youth, the resurging problem of tuberculosis, and the urgent need to solve growth stunting brought about by malnutrition.

Meanwhile, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the program also aims to “accelerate access to safely-managed resilient water and sanitation services in lagging municipalities nationwide."