A TOTAL of 250,000 Davao del Norte beneficiaries benefitted from over P913 million worth of government services, as well as cash, education and livelihood assistance, in the largest ever Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) of the Marcos administration held in Tagum City, Davao del Norte Friday until this Saturday.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, who led a historic delegation of 167 members of the House of Representatives in the Davao del Norte BPSF, expressed gratitude to all the local hosts, organizers and local government officials who made the Serbisyo Caravan a resounding success.
“Lubos po ang ating galak sa dami ng mamamayang na-serbisyuhan ng Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair na hatid ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. sa Davao del Norte. Damang-dama ng ating mga mamamayan ang tulong at kalinga ng ating pamahalaan,” Speaker Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives, said.
“Ito na po ang pinakamalaking Service Caravan sa dami ng benepisyaryong natulungan. Halos 220,000 na ang ating naserbisyuhan at nabigyan ng tulong pinansyal. Patunay lamang ito na prayoridad in Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang bawat mamamayang Pilipino,” he added.
House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias “Ponyong” P. Gabonada Jr., one of the leaders of the BPSF National Secretariat, said “the 250,000 beneficiaries will prove that the administration of President Marcos with the strong support from Speaker Romualdez, the leader of the House of Representatives, has been doing everything to provide support for Filipinos.”
Gabonada said “BPSF, a flagship program of the Marcos administration, had already provided billions in financial aid, livelihood assistance and government services in 19 provinces.”
“The BPSF in Davao del Norte is the 19th installment of the Service Caravan, which is envisioned to visit all 82 provinces in the Philippines. It is the 8th in the whole of Mindanao, together with Zamboanga City, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Davao de Oro and Tawi-Tawi,” Gabonada said, recalling that the Tawi-Tawi BPSF was attended by 95 House members.
Speaker Romualdez represented President Marcos Jr. during the BPSF in Davao del Norte, the opening of which was held at the Davao Del Norte Sports and Tourism Center.
On Thursday, President Marcos personally extended close to PhP60 million in financial assistance under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) to help Filipinos affected by the El Niño phenomenon in Davao Region.
In two-separate PAFF distribution events, President Marcos distributed PhP10 million each to the provinces of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental in Tagum City, PhP19.52 million to Davao del Sur, and PhP10 million to Davao Occidental in Digos City.
President Marcos highlighted the government infrastructure projects designed to uplift the lives of residents in Davao as he recognized the huge developments in the region.
True to his “Mr. Rice” nickname, Speaker Romualdez also led the distribution of 300,000 kilograms of rice to thousands of beneficiaries in Davao del Norte.
Acting Davao Del Norte Governor De Carlo “Oyo” Uy and Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy served as the local co-hosts of the event. With 62 participating national government agencies, over 235 services were offered to more than 250,000 beneficiaries during the two-day festival of services in BPSF Davao Del Norte.
A total of P913 million worth of programs and services were rolled out in the province, some P483 million of which were in the form of cash assistance.
“We made history din po dahil lagpas dalawang milyong beneficiaries na ang ating naabot sa ating BPSF. Lagpas dalawang milyong Pilipino na po ang nakikinabang sa direktang benepisyo ng Service Caravan sa mamamayan,” Speaker Romualdez said.
The Department of Social Worker and Development (DSWD) conducted continuous payouts across the province of Davao Del Norte, which reached a total of 80,000 individual AICS and AKAP beneficiaries amounting to P260 million.
Other province-wide activities include various scholarship programs of TESDA and CHED, including livelihood assistance for various sectors of pre-identified beneficiaries across Davao del Norte.
Also, the amount of in-kind assistance to the government programs beneficiaries in Davao del Norte has reached P429 million, including P30 million in health services.
“Hindi po natutulog ang ating pamahalaan. We continue to find ways to alleviate the condition of Filipino families, especially those who need assistance to tide them through many difficult days. Sinisikap ng administrasyong Marcos na iahon ang ating bansa sa kahirapan at sabay-sabay na aangat ang lahat,” Speaker Romualdez said.
Also, a Pagkakaisa Concert was scheduled to be held at the Davao Del Norte Sports and Tourism Center Friday night with free admission and expected to draw an estimated crowd of at least 40,000 people.
In his speech during the distribution of assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and families in Tagum City Thursday, President Marcos said the administration is working double time to ensure residents will benefit from those projects.
Some of the projects are the Mawab-Maragusan-Caraga Road, Carmen-Tagum City Coastal Road, Tagum City Bypass Road and Mindanao Railway Project Phase. The projects are nearing completion and are expected to fast track development in the area once finished.
President Marcos also underscored the construction of the seven-storey Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Apokon, Tagum City, which is seen to bring quality healthcare and medical services in the region.
The President said the administration is also on track in finishing the New Visayas-Tulalian Farm-to-Market Road that will improve transport of agricultural products to the market.
The visit is part of his program to aid the provinces of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental.
The Chief Executive said he has ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fast track the completion of flood control projects in Davao Region.
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