Palace: Aid delays due to documentation, not exclusion
Published Apr 27, 2026 01:56 pm
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. leads the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program in Batangas City on April 24, 2026. (PCO)
Malacañang said some barangays in Batangas that did not receive assistance under the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” program failed to comply with documentary requirements, stressing that no area is being excluded from government aid.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste claimed that 84 barangays in his district were excluded from the distribution.
In her press briefing on Monday, April 27, Castro said the issue was due to incomplete requirements, not intentional exclusion.
“Hindi po maaaring mabigyan agad-agad ng ayuda kapag walang dokumento dahil magiging subject ito sa COA report (Aid cannot be released immediately without documents because it will be subject to the Commission on Audit findings),” she said.
Castro assured that all barangays will eventually benefit from the program once the requirements are completed.
“Bawat bayan makikinabang, bawat barangay makikinabang, walang pinipiling kulay dito (Every town, every barangay will benefit—there is no favoritism),” she said.
She urged local officials to complete their documents and not be influenced by politics.
‘No politics, no favoritism’
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto echoed the Palace’s position, emphasizing that the program is not driven by politics.
“Hindi ito programa ng pulitika. Ito ay programa para sa taumbayan. Walang kulay, walang kinikilingan, at walang maiiwan (This is not a political program. This is for the people. There is no color, no favoritism, and no one will be left behind),” he said Monday, April 27.
He stressed that fund releases are based strictly on compliance with requirements.
“Kung may hindi pa nakatatanggap, ito ay dahil sa kakulangan sa dokumento, hindi dahil sa pulitika (If some have not yet received assistance, it is due to lack of documents, not politics),” he added.
In Batangas, 980 out of 1,078 barangays have already received assistance, while the rest are pending completion of requirements.
P200,000 per barangay
President Marcos led the rollout of the program in Batangas on Friday, April 24, where barangays received P200,000 each from the Social Civic Projects Fund.
Half of the amount is allocated for education-related assistance, while the remaining P100,000 is for priority barangay projects.
The event also included rice distribution to around 235,000 beneficiaries under the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program. Each beneficiary is set to receive 10 kilograms of rice up to six times a year.
Alleged intimidation
Meanwhile, the Palace addressed reports that some barangay officials were allegedly prevented from attending the distribution activity.
“Kung totoo po ito, nakakalungkot (If this is true, it is unfortunate),” Castro said.
She said such situations should be resolved through coordination rather than public disputes.
Castro emphasized that assistance programs should not be politicized.
“Ang bida rito ay taumbayan, hindi ang politiko (The people are the focus here, not politicians),” she said.
She added that the goal is to deliver fast and direct aid to communities in need.