House Speaker Martin Romualdez during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) Agency Summit on Monday, Aug. 19 (Speaker’s Office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez acknowledged on Monday, Aug. 19, the unity among government agencies that made the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF)—the Marcos administration’s flagship public service program—a “huge success”.

“The coordination between and among agencies has allowed us to address the diverse needs of our people efficiently and swiftly. It also highlights the strength of our government when agencies work hand in hand for the common good,” Romualdez said in a speech.

“The success of the BPSF should inspire us to further improve and expand our services,” he added.

The Speaker issued these remarks during the first day of the BPSF Agency Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Hall in Pasay City.

The three-day event, which will be held until Aug. 21, will see national government agencies and the House of Representatives join together to celebrate the successes of the service caravan, assess its strengths and points for improvement, as well as plans for its future editions.

Romualdez noted that by maintaining collaboration and innovation, the government can remain a “proactive and reliable partner” in the everyday challenges faced by Filipinos.

He, however, admitted that “work is far from over. According to the House chief, poverty, inequality, and the need for sustainable development remains a formidable foe.

“Yet, I am confident that with the spirit of collaboration that has brought us this far, we will continue to break new ground, innovate and deliver on our promise of a better life for every Filipino,” Romualdez asserted.

‘Real, tangible differences’

Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong lower chamber, says the BPSF is a “living embodiment” of the Marcos administration’s dedication to bring government services directly to the people.

”Ensuring that no one is left behind, no matter how remote or underserved their community may be,” he said.

The all-encompassing service caravan has so far visited 21 provinces in the country.

According to House Deputy Secretary-General Sofonias Gabonada, a total of 2.5 million families has so far benefited from the BPSF. In total, they have received around P10 billion worth of government programs and financial aid.

Despite these numbers, the Speaker says that what ultimately matters is the “real, tangible differences” the government makes in the lives of indigent Filipinos.

“The BPSF has made a meaningful impact on communities across the country, delivering direct services that have improved lives in tangible ways,” said Romualdez, representative of Leyte’s first district.

“The billions of pesos in aid provided through this program reflect the scale of its reach and the importance of making government services accessible to all,” he underscored.

In every BPSF caravan, various government initiatives such as the Cash Assistance and Rice Distribution (CARD) program, Start-up, Incentives, Business Opportunity and Livelihood (SIBOL) program, and the Integrated Scholarship and Incentives for the Youth (ISIP) program are carried out for the benefit of indigent Filipinos.

“It is about the child who receives life-saving medical attention, the elderly who finally feel the support of a caring government, the farmer who gains access to vital resources, and the student who sees education as a door to a brighter future,” the lawmaker shared.

“These stories of transformation are the true measure of our success,” he stressed.

BPSF centers eyed

Gabonada, one of the lead organizers of the BPSF, says Speaker Romualdez is being urged to pursue the creation of a “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) bill to institutionalize the BPSF.

This proposed measure would establish Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo (Service) and Tulong (Assistance) Centers in every province and city in the country.

“(Kasama dito ang) paggawa ng mekanismo kung saan nag-uusap-usap itong mga ahensya dun sa convergence ng programa kasi may mga programa talaga na nangangailangan ng ibang ahensya to make it maximized, para ma fully utilized yung resources ng gobyerno,” Gabonada told reporters in an interview.

(This includes the creation of a mechanism where agencies collaborate with each other about the convergence of the program because there are programs that really need other agencies to make it maximized, so that the government's resources can be fully utilized.)

“With that bill, masisiguro natin na magkakaroon ng tamang pondo, magkakaroon ng tamang sistema at magkakaroon ng tamang implementasyon ng Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair,” he added.

(With that bill, we can ensure that there will be proper funding, there will be a proper system and there will be a proper implementation of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair.)

Gabonada further noted that the proposed BPSF Serbisyo and Tulong Centers would house all government services under one roof to make them more accessible to the public.

Because of this, it would need appropriate allocations of fund which the proposed bill would help usher in.

The House official highlighted that the all-around service caravan has gone a long way since it started last year.

Gabonada said organizers of the caravan will make sure that future visits to provinces will see the distribution of even more financial aid and government services.

The BPSF will go to Batangas next, and then the provinces of Cavite and Pangasinan.