31/07/2026
READ | DILG issues guidelines for PBBM's Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program, benefiting over 42,000 barangays nationwide
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued the implementing guidelines for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program (BBMP), laying the groundwork for the nationwide rollout of an initiative that will strengthen grassroots governance, support deserving college students, and help address priority development needs in more than 42,000 barangays across the country.
Through DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-038, the Department outlined the implementation of the program, under which each barangay nationwide will receive Php 200,000 from the Office of the President through the Socio-Civic Projects Funds (SCPF) Project.
The BBMP seeks to empower local government units (LGUs), reinforce effective barangay governance, and expand opportunities for young Filipinos to complete their education while enabling communities to respond to their immediate development priorities.
Of the Php 200,000 allocation, Php 100,000 shall be dedicated to the Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars Program, through which each barangay will select five incoming fourth-year college students for School Year 2026β2027 to receive a Php 20,000 "Finisher Fund" to help cover essential academic expenses and complete their college education.
According to the guidelines, beneficiaries must be bona fide residents of the concerned barangay and belong to vulnerable households that are at risk of dropping out of school. Preference shall be given to students whose families have no member who has completed tertiary education.
Barangays may also prescribe additional eligibility criteria, provided these are properly documented and implemented in a just, fair, and transparent manner.
Meanwhile, the remaining Php 100,000 shall be allocated for the Assistance for the Barangay component, which will support development priorities identified by barangays based on their immediate operational and community needs.
Eligible interventions include the procurement of public service equipment, administrative and office equipment, streetlighting facilities, and disaster risk reduction and management equipment, among others.
Barangays may augment the allocation using their own local funds to complete identified development priorities. However, the guidelines provide that the assistance shall not be used for infrastructure projects, honoraria, salaries, wages, or other similar personnel-related expenditures.
The DILG said the issuance of the guidelines ensures the transparent, accountable, and efficient implementation of the BBMP, allowing barangays to invest in both human capital and community development while advancing the Bagong Pilipinas vision of bringing meaningful government assistance closer to every Filipino.
