Former conflict-affected barangays across the country are steadily closing development gaps, with nearly 16 million Filipinos benefiting from critical infrastructure and basic services delivered through the Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program (LGSF-SBDP), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday.

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to bring government assistance closer to underserved and formerly conflict-affected communities, the LGSF-SBDP continues to address long-standing development gaps by supporting critical local infrastructure projects that promote lasting peace and inclusive development.

From 2021 to 2025, the program funded 7,922 projects worth ₱36.82 billion, benefiting nearly 16 million Filipinos nationwide. These include 3,882 farm-to-market roads, 696 school buildings, 1,403 water supply and sanitation systems, 626 health stations, and 949 rural electrification projects, bringing essential government services closer to communities that need them most.

Among the communities benefiting from the program is Barangay Nato in Gubat, Sorsogon, where residents now enjoy a more reliable and sustainable water supply following the rehabilitation and improvement of their water system funded under the 2023 LGSF-SBDP. The upgraded facility has eased years of difficulty in accessing clean water, supporting household needs, sanitation, and livelihood activities that depend on a stable water source.

Meanwhile, residents of Barangay Cogon in Bulusan, Sorsogon, are now served by a newly completed two-story health station funded through the 2024 LGSF-SBDP. Replacing an aging health center damaged by successive typhoons, the new facility is better equipped to provide basic health care services to more than 480 beneficiaries.

For 2026, the LGSF-SBDP is set to expand its reach, with 1,297 additional projects already moving through the pre-procurement and procurement stages.

Through sustained monitoring and evaluation, the DILG continues to ensure that LGSF-SBDP projects implemented by local government units in insurgency-cleared barangays are completed effectively and translated into meaningful development outcomes for communities.