Questions Raised After Barangay Captain’s Child Receives ₱20,000 in Scholarship Aid
The child of Barangay Tabunan Captain Maria May C. Suarez in Bago City was among five students who received ₱20,000 each under the Bagong Pilipinas Presidential Scholarship Program, which is part of the government’s Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program.
The program provides ₱100,000 to each barangay, with five students receiving ₱20,000 each. The assistance is intended for graduating college students who may be unable to complete their studies because of financial difficulties.
Barangay Tabunan officials confirmed that Suarez’s child was included in the list of beneficiaries and had already received the ₱20,000 assistance. The inclusion has raised questions among some residents because the beneficiary is the child of the sitting barangay captain.
Suarez explained in a social media comment that barangay officials were given only two days in February to submit the names of potential beneficiaries. She said the list had already been submitted to Malacañang before the official beneficiary selection guidelines were released in July.
According to Suarez, her child was included because the barangay had difficulty finding another student to fill the available slot within the short deadline. She said the barangay was given one slot that could have gone unused if they failed to identify a qualified beneficiary in time.
Suarez apologized to residents who raised concerns about the selection and said the barangay had to work within the limited time provided by the program.
The issue has raised questions about the selection process and whether the inclusion of the barangay captain’s child followed the program’s rules. Residents are also seeking clarification on who selected the beneficiary and whether the captain had a direct role in the decision.
K5 News FM Philippines attempted to interview Suarez to verify the details and clarify whether she personally included her child in the beneficiary list. However, she was not available at her office when the news team visited.
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