President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining and expanding government programs designed to provide direct relief to vulnerable sectors, citing significant progress in the national effort to alleviate hunger and poverty.
During his visit to Dumaguete City on Monday to lead the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program, President Marcos highlighted the tangible impact of current social support initiatives. Citing recent data, the President noted that approximately 6.5 million Filipinos have been lifted out of poverty since the inception of these targeted interventions.
“Ako’y natutuwa na ‘yung ating mga ginagawa ay mayroon talagang natutulungan at marami talaga tayong naiaahon sa kagutuman at sa kahirapan. Kaya po, ito ay papatuloy po natin,” the President stated.
The event featured the ceremonial handover of financial assistance to presidential scholars, with each student receiving P20,000. Addressing the scholars, President Marcos emphasized the importance of education as a tool for personal and community development.
“Sana mapakinabangan ninyo itong mabuti para makapagtapos kayo. Dahil ang pag-aaral ay ibang klaseng biyaya ‘yan,” he said, encouraging the students to use the opportunity to improve their lives and support their families and communities.
In Negros Oriental, the initiative supports a total of 2,785 Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholars, representing five students from each of the province’s 557 barangays.
The administration continues to empower Local Government Units (LGUs) through direct fund releases under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) and the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) to ensure the efficient delivery of aid. Key figures regarding these initiatives include:
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LGSF-Financial Assistance to LGUs (FALGU): As of August 15, PhP22.32 billion has been released to 1,281 LGUs to support rice distribution projects.
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SCPF-Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program: As of August 14, PhP7.66 billion has been distributed, providing PhP200,000 to each of the 38,279 participating barangays.
In Dumaguete City, the event marked the distribution of 10-kilogram sacks of high-quality rice to 2,230 beneficiaries. Across the province of Negros Oriental, the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program is expected to provide essential support to approximately 386,673 beneficiaries.
The President reiterated that his administration remains steadfast in its mandate to implement these programs effectively to ensure that the benefits reach those who need them most.
