THE Department of Interior and Local government (DILG) yesterday said that about 22 Cebu towns received funds ranging from P10.57 million to P24.39 million from the National Government.
DILG 7 Director Rene Burdeos told SunStar Cebu that about 22 municipalities in Bohol and one in Siquijor also received funds under the Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM) program.
Burdeos said a total of P690.83 million was directly released to the municipalities under the General Appropriations Act of 2017.
The system was like the Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB) of former President Benigno Aquino III where projects were identified by civil society organizations (CSOs).
This was changed to ADM by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the projects were identified by the Local Government Units (LGUs) themselves.
Burdeos said there are 198 projects covered by these funds in Region 7, which include five basic infrastructures that are really needed in the towns, such as potable water system, evacuation facilities, access roads, small water impounding, and sanitation and health facilities.
The Cebu municipalities that received the development assistance were Alcantara, Asturias, Balamban, Bantayan, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Daanbantayan, Ginatilan, Moalboal, Pinamungahan, Poro, Ronda, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabuelan, Consolacion, Minglanilla, Samboan, Santa Fe, Santander and Tabogon.
Burdeos said the ADM allocations were released to the LGUs after they obtained the Good Financial Housekeeping (GFH) mark from DILG, and upon compliance with both assessment and adoption of rules on Public Financial Management (PFM) laid down by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Burdeos added that the ADM is anchored on the needs of municipalities, and serves as a measure to influence local governments toward good governance, promote transparency and eradicate corruption.
He said that if some LGUs are not part of the first batch of ADM, they will be included in the second batch, provided they will comply with the fund release requirements.