Every one of Negros Oriental’s 557 barangays walked away with a ₱200,000 government check on Friday as Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto personally led a dual-program rollout in the province — combining direct barangay funding under the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang initiative with the opening phase of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Distribution program targeting more than 379,000 families. On the same day, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III brought the Visayas leg of the LegisHear national consultation to Negros Oriental State University in Dumaguete City.
Every Barangay Gets ₱200,000
The Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) held its event beginning at 10 a.m., covering all 557 barangays spread across six cities and 19 municipalities in the province. With each barangay receiving ₱200,000, the OES confirmed the provincial total under the program reached ₱111.4 million.
Under national guidelines governing the Socio-Civic Projects Fund, the allocation is divided equally. Half — or ₱100,000 per barangay — is earmarked for locally identified development priorities, which may include public service equipment, streetlighting systems, and disaster risk reduction measures. The other half is designated to fund five Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars per barangay, each receiving ₱20,000 in educational assistance.
2,785 Scholars to Benefit From ₱55.7M in Educational Aid
One hundred Presidential Scholars attended Friday’s ceremony as representatives of the broader scholar pool. According to the OES, 2,785 students across Negros Oriental are set to each receive ₱20,000 in educational grants — bringing the total provincial scholarship outlay to ₱55.7 million.
The OES also flagged an important public advisory: there is no national online portal where applicants can apply for the scholarship. Scholar selection is handled at the barangay level, and the Palace has already issued warnings that fraudulent application links have been circulating on social media platforms. Barangay officials are responsible for identifying their five scholars and managing the process locally.
Rice Program Opens for 379,000 Provincial Families
Alongside the barangay fund releases, Friday’s event also marked the launch of the first phase of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Distribution program in the province. A total of 1,776 beneficiaries drawn from the labor, fisherfolk, urban poor, and senior citizen sectors received rice during the opening distribution. Each qualifying family is entitled to 10 kilos of rice, the OES said.
The OES described the timing of the rice aid as particularly relevant, noting that communities in the province continue to feel the effects of the southwest monsoon season. The agency framed the distribution as a direct response to the additional hardship that seasonal weather conditions impose on vulnerable households. The full distribution effort is expected to eventually reach more than 379,000 family beneficiaries across Negros Oriental.
National Rollout Already Exceeds ₱1.59 Billion
The Negros Oriental releases are part of a larger national effort. As of mid-May, the Palace reported that the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang program had already issued ₱200,000 checks to 7,933 barangays across the country, bringing the cumulative national total to ₱1.59 billion. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has publicly stated his intention to seek a larger budget allocation for the program in 2027, contingent on the continued smooth implementation of the current rollout, according to Palace reports.
Speaker Dy Opens LegisHear Visayas Leg at NORSU
Separately, House Speaker Dy presided over the Visayas installment of “LegisHear: Bawat Batas Mahalaga” at NORSU, running from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. The session began with a press conference at the university’s audio-visual room before transitioning to a youth-focused town hall held at the NORSU Gymnasium. House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil was also present at the event alongside the Speaker.
LegisHear is a flagship consultative program jointly championed by Speaker Dy and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos. The initiative is designed to collect citizen input on bills currently pending in Congress, assess how existing legislation is being carried out on the ground, and deliver frontline government services directly to communities. The program traces its origins to House-led nationwide consultations for the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act.
Dumaguete marks the third stop in the LegisHear national circuit. The program first launched at Isabela State University in Echague on July 31 for the Luzon leg, followed by sessions at Caraga State University in Butuan City on August 7 and 8 for Mindanao. Insights and recommendations gathered through town halls and focus group discussions in each region will be consolidated by the House into formal policy recommendations.
What Comes Next for Barangays and Recipients
For barangay officials, receipt of the ₱200,000 check is only the beginning. The OES noted that local leaders are now responsible for proper documentation and liquidation of the funds, as well as the transparent selection of five scholars per barangay entitled to the ₱20,000 educational grant. The Palace’s advisory on fake scholarship portals underscores the need for barangay-level due diligence in the selection process.
On the rice program side, Friday’s 1,776 recipients represent only the initial tranche of a significantly larger distribution effort. The OES confirmed the full program is designed to expand until it reaches the complete roster of more than 379,000 qualifying families province-wide.
By the Numbers
- ₱200,000 — amount released to each of Negros Oriental’s 557 barangays
- ₱111.4 million — total provincial payout under Bawat Barangay Makikinabang
- 557 — barangays covered, across 6 cities and 19 municipalities
- 2,785 — Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars set to receive grants province-wide
- ₱20,000 — educational grant per scholar
- ₱55.7 million — total provincial educational assistance for scholars
- 379,000+ — family beneficiaries targeted by the provincial rice distribution
- 10 kilos — rice entitlement per qualifying family
- 1,776 — beneficiaries who received rice during Friday’s opening phase
- 7,933 — barangays that received national checks as of mid-May, totaling ₱1.59 billion
Why This Matters
The simultaneous delivery of ₱111.4 million in barangay-level funding and the launch of a rice distribution program intended to reach more than 379,000 families represents a sweeping injection of national government resources into Negros Oriental, touching every barangay in the province in a single day. The scholarship component — channeling ₱55.7 million to 2,785 students with selection handled at the community level — places a significant burden of accountability on barangay officials, making transparent implementation critical to ensuring funds reach intended beneficiaries. The concurrent LegisHear consultation at NORSU adds a legislative layer to the day’s activities, with Dumaguete’s citizen inputs set to contribute to national policy recommendations being compiled by the House of Representatives.
Source: Breaking News Negros Oriental / Office of the Executive Secretary
