State disaster management protocols and fund distribution channels are undergoing structural reform, shifting financial oversight and project execution responsibilities directly to local authorities to eliminate multi-layered administrative bottlenecks during post-disaster recovery.
Malacañang has released P8.645 billion directly to 306 local government units (LGUs) to speed up the repair of damaged infrastructure and restore livelihoods in communities hit by disasters from 2024 to 2026.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the turnover of rehabilitation assistance at Malacañang on Thursday, November 5, as part of the administration’s move to cut bureaucratic delays that have slowed the delivery of funds to disaster-stricken communities.
Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the direct release of funds under the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program (DRRAP) will allow LGUs to begin recovery projects without going through lengthy bureaucratic processes.
“Ang pondong para sa nasalanta ay hindi dapat matengga. Bawat araw ng pagkaantala ay isa pang araw ng paghihirap para sa pamilyang naghihintay,” Recto said.
The P8.645-billion allocation will finance the repair and reconstruction of damaged roads, bridges, schools, health centers and other public facilities.
It will also support the rehabilitation of farms, fishing grounds and other sources of livelihood to help affected families recover from the economic impact of disasters.
Recto said the President’s decision to channel rehabilitation funds directly to LGUs addresses a longstanding problem in disaster response, where assistance often gets delayed by multiple layers of government approval and processing.
He recalled raising the same concern as early as 2016, when he was still a senator, warning that the complicated process of requesting funds, securing approvals, procuring materials and implementing projects could involve as many as a hundred steps.
“Red tape itself is a man-made calamity,” Recto also said.
“Kawawa ang LGU. Mas kawawa ang pamilyang naghihintay,” Recto also added.
Under the new approach, local governments will have more direct access to rehabilitation resources, allowing them to act faster based on the actual needs of their communities.
Recto said LGUs are in the best position to identify urgent recovery priorities because they are on the front lines of disaster response and remain with affected residents long after emergency operations have ended.
“This is precisely the problem President Marcos has addressed,” Recto also said.
But Recto stressed that the success of the program should not be measured merely by the amount of money released or the number of projects undertaken.
What matters, Recto also said, is how quickly displaced families can return home, students can resume classes in repaired classrooms, roads can reopen, and workers and farmers can earn a living again.
“It is a long name for our simple promise: your government will be there for you for as long as it takes to recover,” Recto also said, referring to the DRRAP.
“Because our people cannot rebuild their lives on assurances alone,” Recto also added.
While pushing for faster access to rehabilitation funds, Recto reminded recipient LGUs that the money must be spent promptly, properly and transparently.
He said removing bureaucratic obstacles does not mean relaxing accountability for the use of public funds.
“May pananagutan ang nagpapalabas ng pondo. May pananagutan din ang tumatanggap nito. At pareho tayong mananagot sa pamilyang naghihintay,” Recto also stressed.
He urged local officials to immediately translate the assistance into completed projects and restored public services, emphasizing that President Marcos expects concrete results from the funds released.
For affected communities, Recto said, recovery means more than rebuilding damaged structures. It means restoring normal life and giving families the opportunity to move forward after a disaster.
“Because a home that took a lifetime to build should not take another lifetime to rebuild,” Recto also said.
“And a child should not have to spend the rest of elementary school waiting for a classroom damaged in first grade to be repaired,” Recto also added.