TACLOBAN CITY — Hundreds of families and all barangays in Tacloban City received government assistance on April 29, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the distribution of rice aid and direct funding support during a visit to the Tacloban City Convention Center.
The event highlighted the rollout of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program under the Local Government Support Fund–Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (LGSF-FALGU), where 500 families each received 10 kilograms of high-quality rice.
The program is part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen food security and improve the delivery of basic services amid rising living costs.
Marcos underscored the importance of ensuring that government aid reaches communities quickly and efficiently, especially as households continue to face economic pressures.
Also launched was the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program under the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF), which provides direct financial assistance to barangays nationwide.
In Tacloban, all 138 barangays received P200,000 each. Half of the amount is allocated for education support and the rest for priority community projects identified by barangay officials, including infrastructure improvements, health services, and disaster preparedness initiatives.
The program also includes the Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars component, which grants a P20,000 “finisher fund” to selected graduating college students. In Tacloban, 690 students were identified as beneficiaries to help support their completion of college degrees.
Officials said the initiative aims to reduce student dropouts and support at least 200,000 graduating students nationwide by the end of Academic Year 2026–2027.
Local leaders welcomed the programs, saying direct funding to barangays allows for faster and more responsive implementation of community projects.
The assistance rollout also forms part of the government’s broader response to economic challenges, including rising fuel prices and inflation pressures affecting vulnerable sectors such as transport workers, low-income families, and returning overseas Filipino workers.
Marcos’ visit underscored the national government’s push for grassroots-level development, with barangays serving as key channels for delivering public services.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
