MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the launch of his administration’s ‘Bawat Bayan Makikinabang’ flagship social initiative to Muntinlupa which benefited more than 31,000 families.
The event was held at the Muntinlupa Sports Center where the chief executive distributed 10 kilos of rice to families from nine villages as well as allowances to selected scholars.
"This program was not created because of the oil crisis. We are definitely going to roll it out, just do it. So there is a little bit of luck that the program is still there while the needs of our countrymen have really grown and become more serious," Marcos said in Filipino.
"We did this so that the people can immediately feel that whatever the program is, whatever the assistance, whatever the funds that the national government is providing, we will pass it on to the local government," he added.
The rice allocation will be given to indigent and vulnerable households every two months, he further stated.
Beneficiaries of the program were from the city’s nine villages —Alabang, Ayala Alabang, Bayanan, Buli, Cupang, Poblacion, Putatan, Sucat, and Tunasan—highlighting the initiative’s aim of delivering inclusive assistance across communities.
“We used the fund called LGSF, Local Government Support Fund. During my time as governor, I did not see the LGSF given to local governments. And I was surprised. I said it was a local government support fund but we don't feel it. I said now, we have an opportunity and let's do it right and let's use that fund for our local government," Marcos said.