House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Ranking members of the House of Representatives says the Marcos administration’s all-encompassing service caravan, the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF), is “living proof” that the allocated funds for assistance programs in the national budget are being used appropriately.

The BPSF, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez as the main proponents, is described by the lawmakers as a “resounding success” that needs to continued backing from Congress once the 2025 budget deliberations begin. 

“Nasasaksihan po namin ‘yung implementasyon ng pondong inaprubahan namin noong nakaraang taon (We are witnessing the implementation of the funds we approved last year). We’re talking about hundreds of millions being downloaded directly to individuals,” Deputy Speaker Rep. David “Jayjay” Suarez said during a recent press conference.

“Come the budget hearings, we can actually say yes, the budget and the funds were used properly and effectively, and the BPSF was one proper conduit that the funds benefitted the less fortunate na mga kababayan natin (of our countrymen),” he added.

Suarez, representative of the second district of Quezon, said Marcos and Romualdez’s commitment to the program will ensure its continuity “for the succeeding months and years to come".

The BPSF has so far visited 20 provinces and cities all over the country. The program has released billions of funds for government services and social assistance for Filipinos in need.

The service caravan is scheduled to stop by Eastern Visayas next, particularly in Tacloban, the capital city of Leyte.

Meanwhile, House Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman and Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said President Marcos had made true his promise of bringing the government closer to the people thanks to the BPSF.

“Dahil nga nakita natin na kailangan maramdaman ng ating mga kababayan, lalong-lalo yung nasa laylayan ng lipunan kung tawagin, na merong gobyernong tumitingin sa kanila at nagmamahal sa kanila,” said Barbers.

(Because we have seen that our countrymen need to feel, especially those on the fringes of society so to speak, that there is a government that looks after them and loves them.)

Likewise, House Assistant Majority Leader and Manila 1st district Rep. Ernesto “Ernix” Dionisio Jr. likewise said the BPSF serves as “a window to see the plight of our countrymen".

“Nakikita natin kung ano talaga ‘yung sitwasyon, pagbaba ng BPSF, makikita natin yung talagang needs ng mga tao,” he noted.

(We can see what the situation really is, once the BPSF stops by, we can see the real needs of the people.)

With this, Dionisio said Congress will make sure that the funding of such programs will be “protected”.

“Kung hindi mamaintain, madagdagan pa sana natin, (If it cannot be maintained, we should maybe increase it) to increase the number of beneficiaries of such programs,” the lawmaker added.