FILE PHOTO: Speaker Martin Romualdez. Photo from House of Representatives Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) — where program and aid is brought closer to Filipinos in provinces and far-flung areas — will continue to get funding for 2025, House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez assured on Friday.
Romualdez during the BPSF in Tacloban City, Leyte asked recipients of the P1.26 billion aid turned over to Eastern Visayas if they want the program to continue — which the crowd in affirmation.
According to Romualdez, this is the reason why House members have been present at the BPSF.
“Ito po’ng mga kasamahan ko sa Kongreso, sila po, kami po ang gumagawa ng legislasyon o budget. No’ng nakaraang Lunes kakatanggap pa lang natin yo’ng bagong NEP, expenditures program, ito po ‘yong budget ng ating mahal na pangulo para sa taong 2025. Kaya nandito ho kami, gusto ko rin makita kung maganda po ang program na ito,” Romualdez said.
(My colleagues in Congress, they, we craft the budget. Last Monday we received the proposed budget, expenditures program, this is the budget of our beloved president for 2025. That’s why we are here, to check if the implementation of the program is good.)
“‘Yon po ang gusto nating makita, kung popondohan pa rin natin, kung itutuloy po natin, at kung ‘yon po ang gusto ng mga tiga-Tacloban, ng lalawigan ng Leyte at ng rehiyon at ng buong Pilipinas, itutuloy natin dahil napakaganda so far ng nakita natin,” he added.
(That’s what we want to see, to determine if we will still fund and continue to support the BPSF — if that’s what the people want, from Tacloban, to the province of Leyte, and the entire country, we will continue because we have seen good things from it.)
According to Romualdez, Congress has been working hard to ensure the quick passage of bills — particularly the P6.352 trillion proposed budget for 2025 — so that more people would be assisted.
“Araw-araw, gabi-gabi ay magta-trabaho ang inyong Kongreso para mapabilis at masiguro ang pagpasa ng budget para mas marami pa tayong matulungan sa ating mga kababayan. Ito ang Bagong Pilipinas, ito ang bagong Kongreso,” he said.
(Every day, every night, your Congress will work hard to speed up and ensure the passage of the budget to assist more of our fellow countrymen. This is the New Philippines, this is the new Congress.)
He also promised that the House will diligently work to secure additional funding for vital programs and services under BPSF, like the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Passport on Wheels, and driver’s license registration and assistance.
“Kailangang ilapit natin lahat ng mga sangay ng gobyerno sa taumbayan. Kaya nandito po kami para siguraduhing happy kayo,” he added.
(We need to bring all branches of government closer to the people. That’s why we are here to ensure your satisfaction.)
Deliberations on the budget will start by the second week of August, at the House committee on appropriations.
READ: DBM submits proposed P6.3T national budget for 2025 to House
The BPSF in Tacloban is considered the biggest in terms of aid distributed, beneficiaries, and number of lawmakers who witnessed the event.
According to Romualdez, there were 241 lawmakers who attended the BPSF, aside from Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, and 12 governors, three vice governors, nine mayors, and 16 officials from Leyte.
According to Romualdez, the BPSF should continue as it brings government programs closer to the people.
“Sobrang proud na proud kami sa programang ito ni Pangulong Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. dahil napakarami nating naabot na kababayan natin sa malalayong probinsya. Ito naman talaga ang esensya ng Bagong Pilipinas campaign ng ating Pangulo, ang ilapit ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa mga tao,” Romualdez said in his speech.
(We are so proud of the program created by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. because we have reached a lot of our fellow Filipinos from far-flung provinces. This is really the essence of the Bagong Pilipinas campaign of our President — to bring government services to the people.)
“At ako’y naniniwala na natupad natin at patuloy na matutupad ang ninanais na ito ng ating Pangulo. Dadalhin natin ang mega Serbisyo Fair na ito sa buong bansa. Bibisitahin natin ang lahat ng probinsiya’t mga malalaking siyudad at ilalapit natin ang tulong sa taumbayan,” he added.
(And I believe that we were able to do this, and we continue to help achieve what the President aspires for. We will bring the mega Serbisyo Fair to the whole country. We will visit all provinces and key areas to bring our help to the people.)
READ: Biggest BPSF ever: P1.2 billion aid ready for Eastern Visayas
Gabonada meanwhile said that 56 national government agencies are present in the BPSF, with over 328 services offered to the beneficiaries across Eastern Visayas. According to the House official, P807 million of the P1.26 billion programs brought to the region were in the form of cash assistance.
House Deputy Secretary General and BPSF National Secretariat head Sofonias Gabonada Jr. said that other mini fairs will be held simultaneously in other Eastern Visayas provinces.
Gabonada said the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment have been conducting cash aid payouts, with over 140,000 individuals expected to benefit from it.
There are also other programs from the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), including livelihood assistance and opportunities for various sectors of eligible clients across Eastern Visayas. With reports from Ysabel Escalona, trainee