NAGA CITY, Philippines — Former Vice President and current Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo addressed concerns regarding a ₱500-million national government grant awarded to the city, clarifying the critical necessity of the funding and laying out the complete timeline that secured its approval.
The explanation came after Caloocan 2nd District Representative Egay Erice, a party-mate of Robredo in the Liberal Party, raised questions on whether the financial allocation carried a political motivation.
Clarifying the breakdown through a social media statement, Robredo specified that ₱450 million is allocated to rehabilitate and retrofit the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, while the remaining ₱50 million will purchase heavy equipment to boost local disaster response.
Although constructed in 2009 and inaugurated in 2010 primarily as an arena for major events, conventions, sports meets, and concerts, the coliseum has evolved into the largest shelter for displaced local residents during calamities.
Robredo emphasized that because the facility was never originally designed to function as an evacuation center, it lacks core amenities required for displaced families, including adequate space for tents, viable sleeping setups, flood-protected sanitation facilities, communal cooking areas, and designated storage for relief distributions.
”After Typhoon Kristine, which brought us the worst floods, the need to repair and retrofit the Coliseum became even more stark,” Robredo stated.
Upon taking office as mayor in 2025, Robredo sought funding avenues for the arena’s overhaul, though the substantial financial requirements posed initial challenges.
She noted that Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who ran as her vice presidential candidate in the 2022 elections, suggested applying for assistance through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), prompting the city government to submit its formal request.
The city received notice in early February 2026 that the application had been granted in principle, following which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally delivered the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) during a official trip to Naga on February 21.
According to details provided by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the ₱500-million fund will support structural retrofitting, drainage and roof repairs, upgraded sanitation setups, a dedicated central kitchen, and medical response infrastructure.
Addressing why physical work has yet to commence, Robredo explained that various government and non-government offices operating within the coliseum must first be relocated to temporary quarters at the Balatas Building.
With municipal bidding scheduled for September and post-qualification evaluations underway, actual construction is set to begin in October.
Amid public scrutiny over the funds, Malacañang reiterated that national aid distributed to local government units is evaluated solely on municipal needs and available executive resources.
Palace officials dismissed assertions that the funding was intended to gain Robredo’s political backing, noting that several other local government units across the country have received similar financial support.