House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Speaker’s office

House Speaker Martin Romualdez says the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) is the answer to the challenge of President Marcos in bringing fast government services to the people. 

“Para po sa kaalaman ng lahat, naisip namin na maglunsad ng ganitong proyekto bilang sagot sa hamon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. na pabilisin ang paghahatid ng serbisyo ng gobyerno sa bawat Pilipino,” Romualdez said in a speech in Bukidnon on Saturday, Nov. 11. 

(For everyone's information, we thought of launching this project as an answer to the challenge of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. to speed up the delivery of government services to every Filipino.) 

“Kasama ng Office of the Speaker sa proyektong ito ang buong kasapian ng House of Representatives kaagapay ang lahat ng departamento at ahensya ng gobyerno,” he added. 

(The Office of the Speaker is involved in this project with the entire membership of the House of Representatives, as well as all government departments and agencies.) 

On Sunday, Romualdez participated in the rollout of BPSF in Bukidnon, which aims to distribute over P379 million in cash assistance and government services to approximately 110,000 citizens of the province. 

The financial aid includes the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). 

“Mapalad ang Bukidnon dahil isa po kayo sa mga piling lugar na napiling pagdausan ng pinakabagong programa ng ating gobyerno — ang [BPSF]. May ilang probinsya na rin po ang nakaranas ng ginhawa na dala ng ating Serbisyo Fair pero masasabi ko po na itong Bukidnon ang isa sa pinakamaraming beneficiaries na napadalo,” Romualdez said at the launching of the BPSF in Bukidnon State University in the city of Malaybalay. 

(Bukidnon is fortunate because you are one of the selected locations to host our government's newest program — the [BPSF]. There are some provinces that have already experienced the comfort brought by our Serbisyo Fair but I can say that Bukidnon is one of the most beneficiaries that attended.) 

“Bilang lider ng Kongreso, alam po namin na marami sa inyo ang nahihirapang makakuha ng mga serbisyong kailangan ng inyong mga pamilya. Sa [BPSF], layunin namin na hindi lamang mapadali, kundi mas mapalawak pa ang pagpapa-abot sa ninyo sa lahat ng serbisyong laan ng gobyerno,” he noted. 

(As a leader of Congress, we know that many of you are struggling to get the services your families need. At [BPSF], we aim to not only facilitate but also expand your access to all government services.) 

“Sa bawat lugar na mapupuntahan ng Serbisyo Fair, asahan ninyong makakatanggap kayo ng ayuda, impormasyon, at gabay sa lahat ng problemang kinakaharap ninyo kaugnay sa kalusugan, edukasyon, hanapbuhay,at marami pang iba,” the Leyte solon added. 

(In every location the Serbisyo Faiir goes, you can expect to receive help, information, and guidance for all the problems you face related to health, education, employment, and many others.) 

Bukidnon was the seventh province to fully enjoy the service caravan of some 58 government agencies implementing 176 different programs. 

Romualdez, one of the principal organizers of the BPSF, said he wants the program to visit all 82 provinces in the country, and reach a total of two million beneficiaries. 

Future destinations of the service fair can look forward to easy access in the areas of social services, health and medical support, livelihood and educational assistance, services in regulatory functions, and other bureaucratic services. 

“Hinihikayat namin kayo na sabihan ang inyong mga kaibigan at mga mahal sa buhay na antabayan ang pagdating ng [BPSF] sa kanilang lugar at samahan kami sa pagtutulungan para mapabuti ang kalagayan ng mamamayang PIlipino,” Romualdez said. 

(We encourage you to tell your friends and loved ones to wait for the arrival of the [BPSF] in their area and join us in working together to improve the condition of the Filipino people.) --Dexter Barro II