President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte and Camsur 5th district Rep. Migz Villafuerte leads the distribution of rice at the Camarines Sur Polytechnic College in Nabua, Camarines Sur as the government is considering the lifting of rice cap on rice prices, which was supposed to protect consumers and keep the country rice-secure. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday said a “caravan” will soon be launched in all 82 provinces in the country to provide Filipinos with easier access to government services.
In a statement, the Palace said the “Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair” (BPSF) caravan, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched in Camarines Sur on Saturday, aims to provide to “less fortunate Filipinos” major government services under such flagship projects as the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Passport-on-Wheels and other assistance and outreach programs.
In Nabua, Camarines Sur, Marcos led the distribution of rice and cash aid to indigents and boats to the town’s fisherfolk.
The BPSF was also simultaneously launched in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, in ceremonies led by Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos III; in Tolosa, Leyte, by Speaker Martin Romualdez; and in Monkayo, Davao de Oro, by Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo.
Benefits
In his speech, Marcos said the BPSF was only one of the first initiatives of his administration to provide Filipinos with government services in the comfort of their provinces.
Romualdez, on the other hand, was quoted in the Palace statement as saying that “The ‘Serbisyo Fair’ truly breathed life into the aspirations of Marcos to bring many government programs within the reach of people who may not have the means to avail of these benefits.”
The BPSF national secretariat comprises the Office of the President, the Office of the Speaker, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and the House of Representatives.
Record-high participation
According to the PCO, organizers had decided to stretch some of the programs from the original two-day event as it attracted a record high of 322,689 portal-registered Filipinos as of 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Organizers estimated that the service caravan would attract more than 400,000 participants.
As of Sunday morning, 87,158 participants were recorded in Laoag, Ilocos Norte; 103,647 in Nabua, Camarines Sur; 57,345 in Tolosa, Leyte; and, 74,539 in Monkayo, Davao de Oro.
The BPSF offers social, livelihood, education and regulatory assistance services from various agencies — such as enrollment in Tupad (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), legal counseling, distribution of farm inputs and machinery, Tulong Dunong Program, Tesda scholarships and program enrollment, financial assistance programs, Kadiwa Stores, SB Corp. services for MSMEs, educational assistance, LTO driver’s license renewal, DFA passport application, NBI clearance application, police clearance application, LTOPF renewal/application, PSA birth certificate application, Pag-Ibig membership and housing loan, SSS membership application, GSIS UMID application, Postal ID application, National ID application, PhilHealth consultation, Public service training, PRC renewal, PAO free legal services, and PhilHealth registration.
Meanwhile, Marcos has directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to start distributing today cash assistance to sari-sari store owners affected by the price ceilings on rice, Malacañang said on Sunday.