May 05, 2024 - The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) of the Marcos administration, which has already provided billions of pesos in government services, financial aid, and livelihood assistance to 18 locations, is set to visit three more provinces in Mindanao this May and early June.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez announced on Sunday that the financial aid interventions initiated by the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. have already distributed billions of pesos in financial and livelihood aid to deserving citizens in the country, including Mindanao.
“Four out of the 18 places and provinces are in Mindanao. Almost all regions have been visited by this Service Caravan, including Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, and Davao de Oro. In the coming days and weeks, we will be visiting Zamboanga City, Tawi-Tawi, and Davao del Norte,” Speaker Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives, revealed.
In addition to the BPSF, the House of Representatives, through Speaker Romualdez’s initiative, has also spearheaded the Cash and Rice Distribution (CARD) Program; the Integrated Scholarships and Incentives Program (ISIP) for the Youth; the Start-up, Investment, Business Opportunity and Livelihood (SIBOL); and the Farmers Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM).
The BPSF, along with the CARD Program, ISIP, FARM, and SIBOL, is scheduled to roll out government programs and cash aid to beneficiaries in Zamboanga City on May 10-11, Tawi-Tawi on May 25-26, and Davao del Norte on June 7-8.
Speaker Romualdez stated that the Marcos administration fully utilizes the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) to aid vulnerable sectors who are also the beneficiaries of the flagship Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The cash aid programs of the Marcos administration, including the initiatives brought to life by the leadership of the House of Representatives, have already benefited millions of Filipinos, especially those from vulnerable sectors.
“Under the direction of our beloved President Bongbong Marcos, we continue to reach out to our fellow citizens who are struggling in these difficult times. The President is aware of this, so his marching order to the entire government is to do everything possible to make people feel the help from the government,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“In addition to this, the government has many other programs such as free college education, free health insurance, and the provision of direct cash subsidies. And not only that, we here in Congress have been tasked by the beloved President to think of more ways to improve the lives of our citizens,” Speaker Romualdez expressed.
The BPSF alone has facilitated the release of billions of pesos in government services and financial and livelihood aid, having serviced a total of 18 places and provinces already and benefitted millions of Filipinos.
As an example, Speaker Romualdez said a total of P1.2 billion in government services and cash grants were rolled out in Sultan Kudarat alone to around 150,000 beneficiaries. Additionally, the House leader from Leyte continued, a total of 500,000 kilograms of rice were also distributed in Sultan Kudarat, along with scholarship and livelihood aid to its residents.
“For all these initiatives in response to President Marcos’s challenge to provide direct services to the people, we have partnered with the DSWD’s AICS to address the needs of vulnerable sectors, students struggling with school expenses, farmers who need a little push to get going, and small entrepreneurs who need help in starting up,” Speaker Romualdez concluded.