President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday led the government’s ‘Trabaho at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan sa Bagong Pilipinas’ initiative to provide more jobs, healthcare services, and cheaper commodities to Samar.
In his speech during the event held at Old Manunca Elementary School in Sta. Rita, Samar, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of Filipinos through this inter-agency drive that offers job fairs, medical missions, and affordable goods distribution.
He urged residents to take advantage of the services.
“Kaya naman po ay gamitin niyo po lahat po ito na mga pagkakataon upang makahanap ng trabaho, upang magpatingin, upang makabili ng mga mas mura na bilihin (Take advantage of this opportunity to find jobs, get medical checkups, and buy cheaper goods),” Marcos said.
“At sana po ito ay nagdadala ng kaunting tulong. Alam naman po natin, kahit ano pang sabihin natin ay talagang mahirap ang buhay ngayon at maraming nagbabago (And we hope that this brings a bit of help. We all know, no matter what we say, life is hard and a lot of things have changed),” he added.
He said similar programs were being conducted nationwide.
“Ganyan po ang aming ginagawa… hindi lamang dito sa Samar, kundi sa iba’t ibang lugar sa buong Pilipinas (This is what we are doing, not just here in Samar, but in different places across the Philippines),” Marcos said.
Marcos highlighted that the job fair is a way to match jobseekers with employers.
“Iyong job fair po para ‘yan — ‘yung pinakamahirap na gawin ay ang mag-match ng trabaho (The job fair is meant to address the challenge of matching applicants with suitable jobs),” Marcos said.
The job fair featured 3,000 job vacancies from local and overseas employers, catering to around 1,944 jobseekers, including graduates of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).
The fair also included a one-stop shop for pre-employment documentation and advisory services from agencies such as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, and PhilHealth.
As part of its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program, DOLE distributed PHP4,050 cash assistance to 1,000 beneficiaries.
Additionally, 97 beneficiaries received start-up kits worth PHP29,950 each under the Integrated Livelihood Program (ILP).
The event also featured Kadiwa ng Pangulo, a program by the Department of Agriculture (DA) that offers basic necessities at affordable prices.
President Marcos highlighted Kadiwa’s importance, particularly in making staple goods accessible.
“Ang bigas po sa Kadiwa ay P29 na lang (Rice at Kadiwa is now just PHP29 per kilogram),” he said.
Marcos also highlighted healthcare efforts, including medical missions and the “Lab For All” project, spearheaded by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.”
“Ang Lab For All ay programa niya… na mabibigyan ng ganyang klaseng trak ang bawat probinsya sa buong Pilipinas (Lab For All is her program to provide mobile laboratories to every province in the country),” he said.
The Department of Health (DOH) provided various medical services, including dental check-ups, laboratory tests, medication distribution, immunization, cancer screenings, and HIV testing.
Assistive devices and senior citizen kits were also distributed. (PNA)
