Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Office of the President, led the distribution of financial assistance checks to representatives of all 61 barangays during a ceremonial turnover at the Bacolod Government Center (BGC) lobby on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

The distribution was made under the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” program, which provides Presidential Assistance through the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF), under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) initiative extended to all barangays nationwide, regardless of population or land area.

Each barangay received a total allocation of P200,000, divided equally between two components: P100,000 for five Presidential Scholars, with each scholar receiving P20,000 in educational assistance, and P100,000 for a community development project identified by the barangay. As part of the program’s safeguards against conflict of interest, Gasataya required all barangay captains to submit signed certifications attesting that none of their selected scholars are family members or relatives of any incumbent barangay official.

“They (barangays) need to certify that scholar beneficiaries are not related to the barangay officials to ensure that those who will benefit from the scholarship program are the ones who need it most,” Gasataya stressed.

DILG City Director Christian Nagaynay emphasized that accountability and transparency remain central to the program’s implementation, in accordance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-38. “Our goal here is to extend assistance to our beneficiaries, aligned with the policies of the DILG and the Office of the President. We need to make sure that accountability and transparency are always at the forefront,” Nagaynay said. He noted that barangays are required to publicly post information on the distribution of assistance, including aid provided to scholars, and submit a fund utilization report every 30 days for the community projects they implement.

For his part, Gasataya thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the national government for extending the program to all barangays. “We know the urgency and necessity of this program. This is the first time the national government has equally provided the LGSF to all barangays, regardless of population and size,” the mayor said. He also thanked barangay officials for their cooperation in completing the requirements necessary for the release of the funds, emphasizing that the program is intended to directly benefit their constituents.

Among the recipient barangays were Villamonte and Pahanocoy, both of which earmarked their project allocations for information technology upgrades. Villamonte Barangay Captain Rommel Flores said their scholarship beneficiaries were selected through a series of qualifying examinations to ensure a merit-based selection process among applicants.

Pahanocoy Barangay Captain Yolanda Noble said their barangay opted for a raffle system, with qualified applicants required to attend a flag ceremony before the draw was conducted. Despite using different selection processes for scholarship beneficiaries, both barangays identified similar priority projects: the purchase of laptops and other office equipment to modernize their information technology systems, improve service delivery, and strengthen the protection and management of barangay records and files.

With all 61 barangays having received their respective allocations, the Bacolod City Government reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with barangay officials and national government agencies to ensure that the funds are utilized properly, efficiently, and transparently. (BACOLOD CITY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE)