House Speaker Martin Romualdez during the launch of Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in Davao del Norte (Speaker's Office)

At least 80,000 residents from Davao del Norte are expected to benefit from the side events of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF), particularly when it comes to the provision of cash, rice, education, and livelihood assistance, says House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez, one of the key organizers of the BPSF that was launched in Tagum City Friday, June 7, says the all-encompassing service caravan serves as a response to the challenge of President Marcos to help address the challenges faced by the country’s vulnerable sectors.

“Ramdam po ng ating pamahalaan ang pinagdadaanan ng ating mga mamamayan, kaya patuloy tayong nag-iisip ng paraan kung paano tayo makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan,” the House leader said in a statement.

(Our government feels what our citizens are going through, so we are constantly thinking of ways to help our countrymen.)

Coinciding with the two-day BPSF, several programs that aim to alleviate the woes of the public were also launched in Davao del Norte. These programs are namely the Cash and Rice Distribution (CARD), the Start-up, Incentives, Business Opportunity and Livelihood (SIBOL), Integrated Scholarship and Incentives for the Youth (ISIP for the Youth), and the Farmers Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM).

“Sa lahat po ng programang ito ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., iba’t-ibang sektor ang ating tinatarget, dahil halos lahat ng pamilyang Pilipino sa ngayon ay kailangan ng konting tulong sa pang-araw-araw na gastusin. Kaya saan man may BPSF, mayroon din ang mga programang ito,” said Romualdez.

(With all these programs of President Marcos Jr., we are targeting different sectors, because almost all Filipino families today need a little help with their daily expenses. So wherever the BPSF goes, there are also these programs.)

Since it started last year, the BPSF has visited a total of 19 provinces and cities.

“Nawa’y madagdagan pa ang programa ng pamahalaan na tutulong pa sa ibang sektor ng ating lipunan,” the Speaker added.

(May there be more government programs that will help other sectors of our society.)

House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias Gabonada Jr., one of the leaders of the BPSF National Secretariat, said a total of 3,000 beneficiaries each received P3,000 in cash plus 10 kilograms of rice under the CARD program.

Gabonada said the SIBOL program—a Romualdez initiative that aims to assist start-up businesses—distributed P5,000 in cash and five kilograms of rice each to a total of 3,000 beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, for the ISIP for the Youth program, a total of 10,000 beneficiaries were given five kilograms of rice each. They will also receive P2,000 every six months to cover tuition and other expenses.

For the FARM Program which intends to help small-time farmers who are facing financial challenges, a total of 3,000 farmers received P2,000 each as financial assistance.

“All of these four programs benefit a segment of our society that needs assistance,” said Romualdez, referring to CARD, SIBOL, ISIP for the Youth, and FARM.

“Kaya patuloy po natin silang tutulungan hanggang sa kanilang pag-unlad. Patunay ito na bawat mamamayang Pilipino ay mahalaga sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos,” the House chief underscored.

(So we will continue to help them toward their success. This is proof that every Filipino citizen is important to the administration of President Marcos.)