Manila: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently allocated PHP371.8 million in financial assistance to local government units (LGUs) within the Zamboanga Peninsula. This is part of the administration's Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program, aimed at addressing poverty, boosting educational outcomes, and accelerating local development.

According to Philippines News Agency, the turnover ceremony was held at the Western Mindanao State University gymnasium, where President Marcos distributed the funds to the provincial governments of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and the city government of Zamboanga. The President emphasized that the assistance is intended to provide direct support to vulnerable communities in need.

Under the Socio-Civic Projects Fund, each barangay is set to receive PHP200,000 in direct financial assistance. Of this, PHP100,000 is designated for educational assistance, while the remaining PHP100,000 is to be used for projects identified by local communities. Marcos highlighted that local officials are best positioned to assess and address the immediate needs of their constituents.

The national government developed this program to enable direct fund transfers to LGUs, facilitating faster implementation of priority projects and ensuring efficient delivery of assistance at the community level. President Marcos had previously led a similar aid distribution initiative in Sulu province.

According to the latest government data, a total of 17,769 barangays have benefited from the program, receiving PHP200,000 each, amounting to a total of PHP3.5 billion in assistance.