(Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office)
PANGASINAN, Philippines — Seventeen local government units (LGUs) in Pangasinan have received financial assistance ranging from Php 5 million to Php 20 million under the national government’s Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program (DRRAP) to support recovery efforts following calamities from 2024 to 2026.
League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Pangasinan Chapter President and Manaoag Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario confirmed Friday that the funding was distributed based on the extent of damage and rehabilitation needs assessed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
“It is intended to provide rehabilitation and recovery assistance. This is prepared by our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reach out to the local government, especially those who have been affected in one way or another by the calamities. So, obviously, there are a lot of coastal municipalities that have received a much bigger amount, depending on the assessment,” Rosario said.
He explained that the OCD evaluated reports submitted by local disaster risk reduction and management offices to determine the appropriate financial assistance for each municipality.
Rosario said coastal municipalities generally received larger allocations because of the extent of damage they sustained.
He added that other Pangasinan LGUs that have yet to receive assistance could be included in the program’s second batch of beneficiaries.
Manaoag, which received Php 5 million, plans to use part of its allocation to establish a command center to improve disaster monitoring, coordination and emergency response.
Rosario said the municipality would also identify other eligible projects based on the program’s guidelines.
“Thank you to our President for helping us out and looking at any options as far as possible. The local governments definitely, we really feel the support, we really feel the empowerment,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial turnover of DRRAP funds to recipient LGUs at Malacañan Palace on Thursday.
The national government has allocated approximately Php 8.6 billion under the program for 306 disaster-affected LGUs nationwide.
The assistance is intended to help communities recover from damage caused by typhoons, earthquakes and the Kanlaon Volcano eruption during the 2024–2026 period.
According to Malacañang, the funds may be used to rehabilitate damaged roads, bridges, government buildings and evacuation centers.
The program also supports the restoration of agricultural production, housing, educational facilities, healthcare services and local livelihoods.
“The assistance supports rebuilding damaged roads, bridges, public buildings and evacuation centers, as well as restoring agriculture, housing, education, health services and local livelihoods,” Malacañang said.
The Palace emphasized that rehabilitation funding should be used according to the assessed damage and specific needs of affected communities.
Through coordinated recovery efforts and proper fund utilization, the government aims to help disaster-stricken LGUs restore essential services, rebuild infrastructure and assist families in recovering their livelihoods.
