Manila: Village officials whose family members are recipients of the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) scholarship grants were advised to return the amount released to them. Negros Occidental Board Member Richard Julius Sablan, president of the province's Liga ng mga Barangay, issued the appeal Tuesday as complaints have reached the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

According to Philippines News Agency, complaints have emerged that children or family members of certain officials in Bago City, Moises Padilla, and Cauayan were among those who received PHP20,000 each as grantees of the presidential scholarship program for graduating college students. These allegations have sparked concerns over the violation of nepotism rules.

Sablan addressed the issue directly, urging barangay captains and officials in similar situations to return the funds to avoid further complications. He highlighted the case of a village head in Bago City who has already returned the amount given to her child to the Liga ng mga Barangay, setting a precedent for others.

DILG-Negros Occidental Director Teodora Sumagaysay also emphasized the importance of adhering to nepotism rules, which extend to the third civil degree of consanguinity or affinity. She reiterated that public officials should prioritize public interest over personal gain, underscoring the automatic disqualification of officials' children from receiving such grants.

The BBM program, launched on July 31, provided PHP120.2 million in financial assistance to all 601 villages in Negros Occidental. Cabinet Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Assistant Secretary Rea Uy Epistola handed over the symbolic check from the Office of the President to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Sablan. Each village received PHP200,000 from the Presidential Assistance to Barangays under the Socio-Civic Projects Funds, with half allocated for educational aid for five scholars. In total, 3,005 qualified students in Negros Occidental are expected to benefit from the scholarship.