The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) returned to the Caraga Region (Region 13) to distribute PHP560 million worth of government services, programs, and financial aid to some 90,000 beneficiaries in Surigao del Sur province during a two-day service festival that started on Friday.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez represented President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the opening ceremonies at the De La Salle John Bosco College-Open Field here where over 10 agencies conducted the ceremonial turnover of over 14 programs.
“Masaya po tayo’t nakaulayaw natin ang mga Surigaonon sa ating BPSF sa Surigao del Sur para ipaalala sa kanila at iparamdam na ang gobyerno ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos ang lumalapit sa kanila para magserbisyo, magpatupad ng iba’t-ibang programa at ilapit ang tulong sa mga nangangailangan (We are happy that we met with the Surigaonon in our BPSF in Surigao del Sur to remind and let them feel that the government of President Bongbong Marcos itself is going to them, to serve and implement various programs, and bring assistance to the needy),” Romualdez said in his speech.
“Mahal ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang Mindanao, at ang patuloy na pagsasagawa ng BPSF sa mga lalawigan dito ay patunay na hindi maiiwan sa programa’t serbisyo ang ating mga kapatid na taga-Mindanao (President Marcos loves Mindanao, and the continuous conduct of the BPSF in the provinces here is proof that our brothers in Mindanao will not be left behind in government programs and services,” he added.
The Surigao del Sur BPSF is the ninth in the whole of Mindanao, with Zamboanga City, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro, and Tawi-Tawi.
It is the 20th installment of the Service Caravan, which is envisioned to visit all 82 provinces in the Philippines. The BPSF Surigao del Sur leg officially started at 9 a.m. and was attended by at least 77 district and partylist lawmakers across different regions.
With 46 participating national government agencies, 90,000 beneficiaries were offered 217 government programs and services worth PHP560 million, PHP244 million of which were in the form of cash assistance.
The beneficiaries include 64,000 individuals aided through the Department of Social Welfare and Development‘s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program; 2,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises provided with added capital through the Start-up Investment Business Opportunity and Livelihood (SIBOL) program; and 2,000 students supported under the Integrated Scholarship and Incentive Program.
Other province-wide activities include various scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), including livelihood assistance for various sectors of pre-identified beneficiaries.
Romualdez also led the distribution of 95,000 kilograms of rice to qualified beneficiaries in the province.
“Hindi na mawawala ang distribution ng bigas sa ating mga BPSF dahil naniniwala tayo na ang bigas ay buhay. Ginagawa ng inyong pamahalaan ang lahat para mapababa ang presyo ng bigas para sa ating mga pamilyang Pilipino (The distribution of rice in the BPSF will always be there because we believe that rice is life. Your government is doing everything to lower the price of rice for Filipino families),” he assured.
Meanwhile, Romualdez also witnessed the ceremonial release of PHP225,000 in assistance for the repatriated, distressed, and displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the city, which the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) 13 (Caraga Region) facilitated.
OWWA-13 said PHP1.2 million in financial assistance has been allocated for the troubled OFWs in the region.
Likewise, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 released PHP39.7 million worth of interventions during the event’s opening day.
“The interventions include the distribution of vegetable seeds, certified seeds, mushroom fruiting bags, farm tools, livelihood projects, farm machinery, and equipment,” the DA-13 said in a statement on Friday. (PNA)
