MALASIQUI, Oct. 16 -- Officials from this town's 73 villages distributed PHP20,000 in scholarship grants from the Office of the President to each of 365 beneficiaries on Friday.

Liga ng mga Barangay president Donald Palaganas said in an interview that each barangay has five indigent students as beneficiaries.

He said they sternly reminded barangay captains and council members not to choose family members as scholars.

"That is what we strongly told them, that family members and relatives of officials are not allowed to be among the beneficiaries," he said.

Palaganas thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the initiative under the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program, specifically the executive branch's socio-civic project fund. ...