Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste has formally requested the Office of the President to investigate reports of corruption and discriminatory practices involving the “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” program.
The lawmaker’s call for a probe followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Batangas on April 24 for the distribution of financial assistance.
Leviste pointed out that at least 84 barangays within his district were excluded from the event, despite the President’s previous commitment that every barangay in the province would receive a ₱200,000 grant.
Leviste alleged that the exclusion was politically motivated. According to the solon, Batangas Liga ng Barangay President Fernando Rocafort informed a local official that the omission stemmed from the supposed “tampo” (resentment) of Governor Vilma Santos-Recto.
Expressing his frustration over the gatekeeping of public funds, Leviste stated:
“Ang kapal ng mukha ng mga politikong pinipigil ang pamimigay ng ayuda na hindi naman sarili nilang pera. Siguro naman hindi ito alam ni President Marcos, pero siya ang nasisira dito, dahil hindi tinutupad ang kanyang pangako na bawat barangay ay mabibigyan,”
While the affected barangays were eventually notified of their inclusion following Leviste’s public complaint, the congressman insisted that accountability is still necessary.
He urged the President to seek a formal explanation from Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and Governor Santos-Recto to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
He further suggested:
“After we raised this issue this afternoon, the Barangays were told they will now be given their ₱200,000. But the President should still ask (Executive) Secretary (Ralph) Recto and Governor Recto why they did not include these barangays today, so this abuse of public funds will not be repeated. This is also a reason why, instead of giving more ayuda, the President should just suspend the fuel excise tax and lower the VAT,”
Beyond the issue of distribution, Leviste revealed he has filed a resolution to investigate reports of “middlemen” who allegedly solicit commissions of up to 25 percent from LGUs in exchange for facilitating access to the Local Government Support Fund.
To eliminate these risks, Leviste proposed that aid be credited directly to barangay accounts—much like the National Tax Allotment—to ensure transparency and spare local officials from the costs of attending physical distribution events during the current oil crisis.