Obando: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday led the rollout of the government's 'Bawat Bayan Makikinabang' program in Obando, Bulacan, bringing rice assistance and financial support to residents while signaling a possible increase in funding for local government aid programs next year.
According to Philippines News Agency, around 2,000 beneficiaries received 10-kilo sacks of rice, while 11 barangays were granted PHP200,000 each under the administration's assistance initiative aimed at strengthening food security and grassroots development. Half of the barangay allocation, or PHP100,000, was earmarked for educational assistance, enabling 55 presidential scholars in the town to receive PHP20,000 each to support their studies.
Speaking at the Obando Central School, Marcos said the program reflects the administration's effort to bring national government services closer to communities by working directly with local government units (LGUs). The President said the assistance is funded through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), which he said is now being utilized more extensively to support local initiatives and accelerate service delivery.
Marcos emphasized his understanding of local government needs, stating, 'I come from local government. I was governor of Ilocos Norte for nine years. So I see what the local government is capable of and what help they need.' He highlighted that tapping LGUs allows the government to identify beneficiaries more efficiently because local officials already maintain records of residents who need assistance.
Under the rice subsidy component of the program, qualified beneficiaries will continue receiving 10 kilos of rice every two months, or six times a year. Marcos also highlighted the Socio-Civic Development Program, which provides PHP200,000 to barangays and gives local officials flexibility to determine how a portion of the funds will address community needs.
For the scholarship component, barangays were encouraged to identify students who may be at risk of failing to complete their studies due to financial difficulties. Marcos said education remains a priority of his administration, describing it as a right that the government must actively support.
He also expressed optimism about the program's long-term impact and said successful implementation could justify increasing allocations in the coming year. 'When we run this well and we see that the program is good and our local officials are implementing it well, I will make sure that next year, we increase the budget so that we can help even more people,' Marcos said.
The 'Bawat Bayan Makikinabang' program was launched on Feb. 23, 2026, and has since expanded to various provinces and cities, including Eastern Visayas, Cagayan, Muntinlupa, Las Pi±as, Para±aque, Pasay, Makati, and Manila. More than 8,700 barangays nationwide have already benefited from the program, according to Malaca±ang.
