A P333-million budget from the national government is set to be distributed to 22 Bohol local government units (LGU) in a bid to improve various infrastructures in municipalities.

According to Bohol local government operations officer Jocelyn Bandala, the amount will be coursed through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Each of the LGUs will be allotted P10.5 to P24.3 million through the DILG’s Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM) program which is similar to the bottom-up budgeting (BUB).

“Yes, it’s a similar program which is an assistance from the national government but it has different process compared to the BUB,” said Bandala in Cebuano and English.

The towns of Alburquerque, Alicia, Batuan, Calape, Carmen, Clarin, Corella, Dagohoy, Danao, Dauis, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Inabanga, Lila, Loon, Mabini, Maribojoc, Sierra Bullones, Talibon, Tubigon, Ubay and Valencia were named by Bandala as recipients of the ADM budget.

“Projects under the ADM include access roads, potable water, evacuation centers and small water impounding,” added Bandala.

The allocation will be released to the said municipalities after these are awarded the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping in accordance with a directive from the Department of Budget and Management.

According to the DILG, P690.83 million has been been earmarked for the implementation of the program in Central Visayas which would cover 45 LGUs in the region.

The ADM was crafted as “catch-up mechanism” to assist LGUs in increasing citizens’ access to basic facilities and aiding the participation of civil society organizations in local governance, said the DILG in its website.

It also emphasized that the ADM program directly supports the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2017 to 2022.

“The DILG does not operate alone. Our programs are linked with the long-term goals of the whole of government,” said DILG Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy. (Rey Tutas)