President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has warned local government officials that they will face the full force of the law if they misuse funds allocated for rehabilitating communities devastated by disasters.
Marcos delivered the warning during the ceremonial turnover of the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program (DRRAP) at Malacañang, emphasizing that the funds must benefit disaster-affected residents rather than serve the personal interests of local chief executives.
The president stressed that the money comes from taxpayers and must be used for its intended purpose: helping communities recover from the impact of calamities.
He also underscored that corruption has no place in the implementation of the program, specifically warning against ghost projects, unauthorized commissions and rehabilitation projects that fail to address the actual needs of affected communities.
Marcos said local officials responsible for diverting the funds for personal gain would be held accountable under the law.
The government has allocated approximately ₱8.6 billion in DRRAP assistance for 306 local government units across the country.
The funding is intended to support various rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives in disaster-stricken areas, including the construction and repair of housing facilities, relocation projects, roads, bridges, public buildings and evacuation centers.
The assistance will also cover projects and services related to education, health care and agriculture.
The program aims to help affected localities restore essential infrastructure and services following disasters.
Marcos emphasized the responsibility of local chief executives to ensure that the government assistance reaches the communities that need it most.
The warning comes as the government prepares to distribute substantial rehabilitation funding to hundreds of local government units, with the president stressing that public money must not be diverted for private benefit.
The ₱8.6-billion allocation is intended to support recovery efforts and address the infrastructure and basic service needs of disaster-affected communities.
