Palace defends P58.5-B local fund against 'presidential pork' claim

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang defended the proposed P58.53-billion Local Government Support Fund for 2027 against a lawmaker's claim that it amounts to a "presidential pork barrel."

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro rejected Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice's characterization of the LGSF as a discretionary fund under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying releases to local governments are subject to requirements and evaluation.

Erice has questioned whether Congress is giving the executive too much discretion over which local governments receive funding and how much they get. He has said he plans to challenge the LGSF before the Supreme Court unless tighter allocation rules are imposed.

In response, Castro said Erice was free to seek relief from the courts but should first examine how LGSF releases are processed.

"Karapatan niya tumakbo kahit saang korte pero dapat siguraduhin lamang po niya na mayroong basehan. Dahil kung mabibigyan lamang siya or aaralin po niya ang proseso kung papaano naire-release ang LGSF sa mga LGU, malamang ay maliwanagan po siya," Castro said on Wednesday, September 2.

(It is his right to go to any court, but he should make sure that there is a basis. If he studies the process for releasing the LGSF to LGUs, he will probably understand it better.)

Under the government's proposed system, LGUs seeking financial assistance must submit requests directly to the Department of Budget and Management, with applications subject to eligibility requirements, evaluation, monitoring and audit.

The proposed P58.53-billion LGSF for 2027 covers financial assistance to LGUs, the Growth Equity Fund and the Barangay Development Program.

"Hindi po ibinibigay ang pondo basta-basta," Castro said. (The funds are not simply released without basis.)

Palace cites Robredo

Castro pointed to Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo's P500-million funding request for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum as an example of how local governments seek support from the national government.

"Ipagpaumanhin kung magagamit muli natin ang pangalan ni Mayor Leni Robredo dahil siya mismo ay nagpapatunay na mas maganda nga po na mas lumaki pa ang pondo na maitutulong sa ating mga local government units, dahil malaki po ang ginhawa na naidudulot nito sa mga constituents," Castro said.

(Apologies if we use Mayor Leni Robredo's name again, because she herself shows how increasing funds that can assist local government units can provide significant relief to their constituents.)

Marcos turned over a P500-million Special Allotment Release Order for the coliseum project in February.

Robredo has said the project originated from a request made in 2025 and was intended to improve the coliseum as a disaster-resilient facility.

Castro also invoked a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of an earlier LGSF appropriation.

In a 2019 ruling in Belgica v. Executive Secretary, the high court upheld the LGSF in the 2014 national budget, finding that it had a sufficiently identifiable purpose of providing financial assistance to local governments.

"Sinabi mismo ng Supreme Court na ang LGSF ay hindi po bawal at ito po ay nasa tamang paggamit para sa ating mga LGUs," Castro said.

(The Supreme Court itself said that the LGSF is not prohibited and may properly be used to support our LGUs.)