Albay: Albay Governor Noel Rosal confirmed Monday that PHP137 million of the province's PHP274 million Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) from the national government has been approved for the area's rice assistance program. The amount represents 50 percent of the allocation for the province's food subsidy initiative, which supports the national government's social assistance program, 'Bigay Bigas sa Masa.'

According to Philippines News Agency, under the program, each indigent family will receive 10 kilograms of rice every other month, totaling 60 kilograms per year. Rosal stated that the provincial government will work closely with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) to assist municipalities in distributing the rice aid. "We will have a meeting with the PSWDO to determine the beneficiaries, and those who should benefit will indeed benefit," he said.

The remaining half of the LGSF will be used for infrastructure projects, including the construction and upgrading of roads, hospitals, health stations, water systems, renewable energy facilities for government buildings, solar streetlights, multi-purpose halls, and sports facilities. Rosal added that he has instructed mayors to prioritize the most urgent needs of their municipalities.

Meanwhile, Rosal mentioned that the proposed PHP20-million budget for the Magayon Festival, intended for financial assistance to Albayanos, is still under review to determine the most appropriate distribution method. "We may need more than PHP20 million because we are talking about a population of 1 million," he said. Rosal also expressed gratitude to the national government for the interventions it is implementing to mitigate the effects of the ongoing oil price increases.