BONTOC, Mountain Province — All 144 barangays in Mountain Province have received a combined ₱28.8 million in assistance under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) Program, bringing national government support directly to communities across the province.
The distribution was held on August 12, 2026, at the Leonard G. Mayaen Sports Complex in Bontoc, where barangay officials received allocations from the President’s Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF).
Each of the province’s 144 barangays received ₱200,000, according to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
₱200,000 per barangay, but not all for the same purpose
The assistance is divided into two major components.
Under DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-038, ₱100,000 of each barangay’s allocation is intended for development priorities identified by the community. These may include public services, administrative and office equipment, streetlighting, and disaster risk reduction and management initiatives.
The remaining ₱100,000 will support five Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars, with each scholar receiving ₱20,000 in educational assistance.
For Mountain Province, that means the program potentially provides support for 720 scholars across its 144 barangays, while simultaneously giving each village resources for its own priority projects.
Why the Mountain Province release matters
Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay President Alfonso K. Ligos said the province was pleased that all 144 barangays qualified for the funding.
He attributed the successful release to the compliance of barangay officials with the program’s requirements and guidelines.
The assistance also comes at a significant level for a mountainous province where barangays often have to address infrastructure, public-service and disaster-preparedness needs across geographically challenging communities.
Saclit, Sadanga Punong Barangay Alex Churping likewise welcomed the direct release of assistance, saying the funds could help communities undertake improvements that would benefit residents.
Part of a nationwide barangay funding push
The Mountain Province distribution is part of a broader national rollout of the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program.
Other provinces have reported similar allocations, illustrating how the ₱200,000 package is being translated into different community priorities.
In Ilocos Norte, for example, all 559 barangays received ₱200,000 each. There, ₱100,000 was designated for barangay development while another ₱100,000 supported five graduating college students per barangay. The province reported a total allocation of ₱111.8 million.
In Nueva Vizcaya, Barangay Bonfal Proper said its allocation could be used for electric bikes to improve the mobility of barangay personnel serving far-flung areas, alongside educational assistance for Presidential Scholars.
In Isabela, Barangay Quezon in San Isidro used its ₱200,000 allocation to support solar-powered streetlights and scholarships, showing how the development component can be tailored to local needs.
The program has also drawn nationwide attention. A July 2026 report by PTV said that, as of July 17, the SCPF-Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program had released about ₱6.97 billion to 34,830 barangays.
ABS-CBN similarly reported that the program provides ₱200,000 per barangay, with ₱100,000 available for community priorities and the other half intended for educational assistance.
From funding to results
For Mountain Province, the release of the ₱28.8 million is only the first step.
The more important question now is how the 144 barangays will turn the assistance into visible and lasting benefits.
The rules give barangays room to identify development priorities, but local officials are expected to ensure that the funds are used properly and for their intended purposes. Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr. urged barangay officials to use the assistance responsibly for the benefit of their communities.
That puts the spotlight on implementation: whether the money becomes better lighting, stronger disaster preparedness, improved public services, needed equipment—or educational support that helps young residents finish college.
For residents of Mountain Province, the ₱200,000 per barangay may look modest compared with larger government projects. But multiplied across all 144 barangays, the allocation becomes a ₱28.8-million grassroots investment reaching communities directly.
And the real measure of the program will not simply be how much was released—but what residents eventually see, use and benefit from because of it.
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