ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 29 June 2026) – Local government units comprising Zamboanga Peninsula on Monday received funds from Malacañang as financial assistance to barangays and selected scholars.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the distribution of the financial assistance under the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF) to Zamboanga City and the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay at the Western Mindanao State University gym.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso and Liga ng mga Barangay President Jordan Evangelista received P19.6 million for distribution to the city’s 98 barangays.
Evangelista said each barangay will get P200,000 cash assistance P100,000 of which will be divided among five presidential scholars. The scholars should be a fourth year college student from an indigent family.
One of the scholars is Walter Torres from Barangay Manicahan, a fourth year Education student at the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology.
The fourth among six siblings, Torres’ father is a public utility driver while his mother is a homekeeper.
He said the P20,000 assistance will go a long way in helping him realize his dream to be the first in their family to finish college.
The remaining P100,000 will be used for specific needs of the barangay such as office supplies, Evangelista said. He added the amount is helpful to barangays with small Internal Revenue Allotment.
Also present to receive similar assistance were Governor Darel Dexter Uy of Zamboanga del Norte (P138.2 million); Zamboanga del Sur Governor Divina Yu (P136.2 million; and Governor Dulce Ann Hoffer of Zamboanga Sibugay (P77.8 million).
Hoffer assured there will be no politics in distributing the funds and all barangays will receive their share. “We received the check, then we will issue individual checks to the barangays.”
Prior to the distribution of the financial aid Marcos launched the Walang Gutom Kitchen Program at the FGL Building along MCLL Highway in Barangay Tetuan, the first of its kind to open in Mindanao.
The program intends to provide nutritious meals to qualified indigent families as part of the administration’s campaign to end hunger and malnutrition.
The kitchen will be open from 6am to 2pm daily, and will cater to daily wage earners, among others.
SCPF is being implemented by the Office of the President under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang Program. (Queenie Casimiro/MindaNews)
