TACLOBAN CITY — Demonstrating how targeted national support can empower small local government units, Tunga, Leyte—one of the country’s smallest municipalities—is leveraging a ₱25-million national government grant to enhance public safety, boost food security, and fund essential community welfare initiatives.
The funding was secured under the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (LGSF-FALGU) program, officially handed over by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his visit to Tacloban City. Part of the administration’s "Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang" campaign, the initiative equips local governments with supplementary funds for critical grassroots projects that fall beyond their regular annual municipal budgets.
Illuminating Roads for Safer Nighttime Mobility
A cornerstone of Tunga’s infrastructure push is a major street lighting project designed to improve visibility and night safety across all eight of the town’s barangays, including its five poblacion districts.
According to Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Marlon Arintoc, crews have begun installing 386 solar-powered streetlights. The project targets unlit and low-visibility areas to deter crime, enhance road safety, and support evening mobility for residents.
Reinforcing Food Security and Pediatric Healthcare
Alongside public safety infrastructure, the LGSF allocation directly addresses household welfare and food security:
Direct Food Assistance: Municipal authorities coordinated the distribution of approximately 8,300 sacks of rice, providing 10-kilogram packages to nearly 2,000 households to buffer vulnerable families against rising food costs.
Targeted Nutrition Funding: Tunga allocated ₱3.2 million specifically toward local health and nutrition initiatives, expanding intervention programs for children and high-need demographics.
A Model for Small-Scale Grassroots Governance
Reflecting on the impact of the grant, Mayor Reinbert Costelo noted that the funding allows Tunga to execute long-delayed projects that local revenue alone could not cover. By converting national financial assistance into visible streetlights, food relief, and health support, the 6th-class municipality illustrates how grassroots-focused funding can drive immediate, tangible improvements in small rural communities.
