The House of Representatives has provided over P380 million worth of medical assistance to Filipinos in a program that has been devoid of fanfare, but not of patently efficient service.

Simply called the Social Assistance Mobilization Program--or the more catchy Suporta sa Bayan Desk (SBD)--the initiative under House Speaker Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III was designed provide citizens with a dignified, orderly, and compassionate way of accessing government assistance.

Like the Speaker, the SBD is lowkey. But its running figures more than justify its existence.

Since the program's launch on March 18, 2026, the SBD served 7,174 beneficiaries and facilitated a total of P381,515,287 in assistance through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).

The SBD--which has only been in operation for just over 70 days--assists citizens seeking support for medicines and laboratory procedures, hospital bills, chemotherapy and chemotherapy medicines, dialysis, medical implants and devices, medical procedures and pre-operation requirements, therapy, and funeral expenses, says Dy.

“Kapag may lumalapit sa gobyerno na nangangailangan ng tulong, hindi dapat sila pinapahirapan. Ang gusto natin ay mas mabilis, mas maayos, at mas makataong serbisyo. Iyan ang layunin ng [SBD]," the House chief said.

(When someone approaches the government in need of help, they should not be made to suffer. What we want is faster, better, and more humane service. That is the goal of the SBD.)

Of the total number of beneficiaries served, 2,069 were assisted through the DSWD, with assistance amounting to P41,720,600.

Another 5,105 clients received assistance through the DOH, with assistance reaching P339,794,687. These figures are expected to grow in the ongoing 20th Congress as the House tries to match its legislative output with immediate help to those who need it the most.

From March to June, the desk initially limited its daily intake to 50 walk-in clients to ensure that each request could be properly received, evaluated, and referred. As demand increased and operations were strengthened, the desk expanded its capacity in July.

From 1 to 31 July alone, the SBD served 2,905 clients during 18 operational days, equivalent to an average of 161 clients per day and facilitated P167,441,387 in assistance during the past month.

Dy says the desk serves as a central access point where requests are received, documented, evaluated, and referred to the appropriate partner agency. This process helps clients understand the requirements and ensures that their documents are properly prepared before endorsement.

At present, hospital-related assistance directly facilitated by the desk is limited to hospitals within the National Capital Region (NCR).

But this doesn't mean other individuals are left out in the cold; for requests involving hospitals in other parts of the country, the SBD provides coordination and referral support by linking clients with the DSWD regional offices nationwide.

The Speaker says that Filipinos who are in dire need of government assistance should not be made to undergo an unnecessarily difficult process. More than facilitating documents and referrals, the program seeks to ensure that every citizen who approaches the House for assistance is treated with respect.

The House of Representatives also plans to engage additional government agencies and partner institutions in the future to expand the range of services available through the SBD.

This will enable the program to address more types of requests and extend coordinated assistance to more citizens in Metro Manila and the regions, said Dy.

Through the SBD, the House of Representatives continues to serve as a bridge between citizens and government programs, helping make public assistance more organized, accessible, and responsive.