P8.6-B aid raises 2028 campaign kitty questions

With the 2028 elections looming, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s release of P8.6 billion in disaster rehabilitation assistance to local governments is raising questions over whether the funds could double as a political war chest, even as a House leader called for greater transparency in government spending.

Marcos on Thursday gathered local government officials in Malacañang for the ceremonial turnover of the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program, which covers provinces and cities hit by calamities.

Among those present were former Vice President and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. Of the P8.6 billion, P6 billion has been released, while the remaining P2.5 billion is being processed.

The timing and scale of the assistance drew speculation online, with one commenter on the DAILY TRIBUNE Facebook page describing the allocations as the start of a flood of campaign funds for local government units in aid of the 2028 elections.

Marcos, however, said the assistance was intended to help communities rebuild, arguing that local governments were best positioned to identify their constituents’ needs.

“LGUs know their people’s struggles and what it takes to help them rebuild. And for this, we spare no expense,” he said.

The funds will go toward the repair of damaged roads, bridges, schools, health facilities, evacuation centers, farms and housing.

No exceptions

Marcos urged local officials to improve their disaster preparedness and ensure that damage reports are properly submitted to the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The scrutiny comes amid renewed calls for transparency in the national budget.

House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo said Thursday that Congress should abandon the unwritten practice of “parliamentary courtesy,” under which the budgets of the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, and both chambers of Congress are routinely spared from detailed scrutiny.

“If we are going to require departments to be very transparent and explain in detail their expenditures, maybe it’s not good to have exceptions to the rule,” Puno said.

He backed the People’s Budget Coalition’s call for the equal scrutiny of all government agencies, saying transparency should apply “from top to bottom.”

Puno said the House could no longer amend its version of the 2027 national budget, which has been transmitted to the Senate, but he vowed to push for changes during the bicameral deliberations and in the preparation of the 2028 budget.