MANILA, Philippines — Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo has assured that funds allocated for disaster rehabilitation will be strictly protected against corruption and unauthorized diversions under her local administration.
Speaking in Malacañang on Thursday, November 5, following the ceremonial turnover of the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program (DRRAP) Funds, Robredo emphasized that structural safeguards are in place to prevent irregularities.
Her remarks came in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strong warning to local chief executives nationwide against misusing disaster recovery funds for corrupt practices or non-existent projects.
Addressing how the city prevents funds from being funneled into fictitious initiatives, Robredo drew a sharp contrast with legislative budgeting issues.
“Hindi mangyayari sa amin yung mga singit, hindi mangyayari sa amin yung insertions gaya ng nangyari sa House of Representatives,”
According to Robredo, community engagement and grassroots oversight serve as primary deterrents against ghost projects in Naga.
“Hindi kaya maging ghost dahil tao mismo yung nagbabantay,”
To institutionalize transparency, Robredo detailed that she established eight specialized clusters covering key sectors—including governance, infrastructure, health, education, and arts and culture—upon assuming office last year.
Each cluster is co-chaired by a sector representative alongside a city hall department head, ensuring that local stakeholders are directly involved in crafting the budget rather than leaving the process solely to executive offices.
She noted that public budget presentations with sectoral groups allow everyday citizens to function as active watchdogs.
“Halimbawa, as I speak, third day ngayon ng public presentation ng budget with the sector, so ito yung from our side,”
“Pag ganito kasi yung watchdog mo tao mismo e, kasi babantayan nila kung yung naipasok nila sa agenda talagang maiimplement,” she added.