• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said Aug. 24 that they will meet with barangay officials this week to ensure that no immediate relatives or questionable recipients were selected for the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang (BBM) scholarship program before the city releases the funding.
Gasataya said that if any chosen beneficiaries are found to be relatives of barangay leaders, they will advise the barangay to replace them with qualified, deserving students to ensure equitable distribution.
The mayor noted that city officials met with the Department of the Interior and Local Government Friday to align these protocols. “If they comply with what is being asked of them, then we will release the funds as soon as possible.”
The program provides a P20,000 allowance for five scholars each barangay.
All required documents have already been submitted to the City Accounting Office, meaning the funds are fully prepared for immediate distribution once compliance is verified.
Gasataya emphasized that the city government acts solely as the conduit for downloading and distribution of the funds from the national government, while the selection authority remains with the barangays, subject to established guidelines. | TMD
