5,000 villages get P200,000 each in subsidies

AN INITIAL 5,000 villages received P200,000 each from the national government’s P8.08-billion program aimed at cushioning the economic fallout from the conflict in the Middle East, Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said on Thursday.

The “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” initiative, which started on March 24, is designed to reach every village-level government with a fixed allocation of P200,000.

“Support will be given directly to the villages,” Mr. Recto said in a statement in Filipino.

“The President ordered that they be strengthened because these frontliners are closest to the people.”

The Philippines is exposed to the ongoing Middle East crisis as a net importer of oil. The war spiked its inflation rate to 4.1% in March, the fastest pace in almost two years.

Under the aid program, villages may allocate half of the P200,000 grant for projects selected from an approved menu.

The funding covers basic infrastructure and community needs, from street lighting and surveillance systems to emergency power supply, while also reserving half of each grant for education support.

The remaining P100,000 will be set aside for a “finisher program” aimed at helping college seniors in the community, ensuring their graduation is not disrupted by the economic fallout from the Middle East crisis.

The initiative is expected to support as many as 200,000 students nearing completion of their degrees, helping prevent financial strain from forcing them to drop out. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana