A total of 8,700 barangays have received P200,000 in cash assistance since the rollout of the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” initiative, Malacañang Palace announced on Monday.

According to Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, the program will continue to expand to other parts of the country under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a press briefing, Castro said Marcos assured the public that the government remains responsive to the needs of Filipinos through the continued implementation of assistance programs nationwide.

“Hindi natutulog, hindi nagbabakasyon ang pamahalaan … kundi nakikinig at umaaksyon,” Castro said, echoing the President’s message to beneficiaries in Makati City.

Since the launch of the initiative on 23 February, Marcos has visited several areas, including Eastern Visayas, Cagayan, and the Metro Manila cities of Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Pasay, Makati, and Manila.

During the program in Makati City on Monday morning, Marcos personally met with 23 Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Scholars and distributed financial assistance worth P20,000 each.

In his message, the President highlighted the importance of education and the opportunities being extended to students through the government’s Socio-Civic Projects Fund Program.

Marcos also led the distribution of 10 kilograms of rice to beneficiaries under the expanded Local Government Support Fund program, which aims to accelerate the delivery of government assistance to communities nationwide.

On Monday afternoon, the President also spearheaded another “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” event in Mandaluyong, where additional government assistance was distributed to residents.