Daily Tribune
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of an unusually bigger Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) to Marikina City barangays in the constituency of Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, the acting chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Based on documents from the Bureau of the Treasury all dated 18 February 2025, 10 barangays, including four within Quimbo’s district, received varying amounts.
Three barangays — Parang, Nangka and Concepcion Dos — reportedly received more than the allowed assistance as they got P25.97 million, P49.58 million, and P24.61 million, respectively.
Other barangays that received LGSF were Marikina Heights (P4,999,750), San Roque (P4,999,750), Tanong (P4,770,500), Concepcion Uno (P4,999,750), Tumana (P4,999,750), Malanday (P5 million) and Fortune (P4,999,750).
Based on Local Budget Circular 5 released by the DBM, or the Guidelines on the Release and Utilization of LGSF to LGUs under the 2024 General Appropriations Act, the total amount of all programs and projects requested by each barangay shall have an indicative ceiling of up to P5 million for assistance to indigent individuals or families for the following: medical, burial, transportation, food assistance, and educational assistance/scholarships.
The chairpersons of the 10 barangays are known Quimbo supporters.
Social media posts questioned the DBM’s approval of the funds for the three barangays despite exceeding the assistance ceiling.
Quimbo took over the Committee on Appropriations following the resignation of Rep. Zaldy Co.
The timing of the fund’s release suggested it might be used for indirect vote-buying. The funds were allocated for food assistance to low-income recipients, with the beneficiaries selected by the legislator’s office.
Under the 2025 national budget, P18.95 billion was earmarked for LGSF. The DBM allows lawmakers to recommend local government units that may receive LGSF.
A Calabarzon-based partylist group with the acronym (PBBM) — Pilipinas Babangon Muli — is facing complaints for using the acronym of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. which could “mislead voters into believing there is an association between the partylist group and the President when there is none.”
PBBM claimed to exclusively represent the Calabarzon region, comprising the five provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, and had set up an office in Taal, Batangas.
However, when the Comelec published the list of nominees on 24 October 2024, eight of the PBBM nominees were from Abra, one from Cagayan, one from Quezon City, and none from Calabarzon.
A petition filed with the Comelec urged a probe into the wholesale change in the PBBM’s leadership, particularly with the appointment of officials from Abra and the majority of nominees hailing from the province.
The petition cited violations of Republic Act 7941 (Partylist System Act) and Section 2(f), (g) and (j) of Comelec Resolution 9366, accusing PBBM of making untruthful statements, misrepresenting its regional affiliation, and attempting to deceive voters by fielding nominees who do not meet the legal qualifications for Calabarzon.
It also argued that PBBM’s platform is national in scope and lacks a focus on the specific issues of Calabarzon, which undermines the purpose of the party-list system which is designed to represent marginalized and underrepresented sectors.
