House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur--The 20th Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) was held here in the province Friday, June 21 to cap the service caravan's Mindanao swing, at least for now. 

Expected to be rolled out during the two-day affair were P560 million worth of government services, programs, and financial aid for 90,000 beneficiaries from the province. 

Leading the attendees was Speaker Martin Romualdez, the head honcho of the House of Representatives and one of the main organizers of the BPSF. 

One of the hosts of the event, Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel, said that a total of 78 House members attended Friday's launch at De La Salle John Bosco College Open Field. 

“Ito ang sagot natin sa panawagan ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr. na ilapit ang pamahalaan sa mga mamamayan. Ngayon, ang pamahalaan na ang lumalapit sa mamamayan at naglilingkod sa abot ng aming makakaya,” Romualdez said in his speech. 

(This is our answer to President Bongbong Marcos Jr.'s appeal to bring the govenrment closer to the people. Now, the govenrment is the one that approaches and serves the people the best way it can.) 

“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,” added the Speaker. 

(President Marcos Jr. loves Mindanao, and the continued holding of BPSF in the provinces here is proves that Mindanaoans will never be left behind when it comes to the different programs and services.) 

Marcos hails from Ilocos Norte in Luzon, while Romualdez traces his roots to Leyte in Visayas. 

The significance of the attendance of nearly 80 congressman here wasn't lost to Romualdez. 

“I can speak for each and every one of the lawmakers who were present in the Surigao del Sur BPSF that we are all in awe of how much this revolutionary program is helping our citizens in so many ways,” said the Speaker. 

With 46 participating national government agencies, over 217 types of services were offered to 90,000 beneficiaries in Surigao del Sur. 

House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias “Ponyong” Gabonada Jr., one of the leaders of the BPSF National Secretariat, said the Surigao del Sur BPSF was the 20th installment of the service caravan in all of the Philippines. 

“it is the second in CARAGA Region after Agusan del Norte, and the 9th in the whole of Mindanao with Zamboanga City, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Davao de Oro and Tawi-Tawi," he said. 

“This brings the BPSF in Mindanao to almost half of all the service caravans held throughout the country,” Gabonada added. 

Aside from Rep. Pimentel, the other host of the all-encompassing service caravan was Governor Alexander “Ayec” Pimentel. 

Among the local elected officials who also graced the event were: Misamis Occidental Governor Henry Oaminal, Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane, Guimaras Governor Rahman Nava, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Samuel Tortor, Imus Mayor AA Advincula, and General Trias Mayor Jon Jon Ferrer. 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be conducting continuous payouts across the province. This is expected to reacha total of 64,000 AICS beneficiaries amounting to P216 million. 

Other province-wide activities include various scholarship programs of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), which cover livelihood assistance for various sectors of pre-identified eligible clients across the province. 

True to his nickname of “Mr. Rice,” Romualdez led the distribution of 95,000 kilograms of rice to qualified beneficiaries here.