PBBM fair brings P1.2B in aid, services to Duterte country

PRESIDENT Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) yesterday rolled out P1.2 billion in government services and financial aid to 250,000 beneficiaries in Davao City, turf of Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

A total of 183 lawmakers led by Speaker Martin Romualdez joined the fair, more than the required number of bodies to declare the presence of a quorum during plenary sessions.

Among the House leaders present were senior deputy speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. (Pampanga) and deputy speaker David Suarez (Quezon).

Romualdez, main proponent of the BPSF, said the service caravan in Davao was conducted in partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and carried the theme, “MindaNOW: Serbisyo Para sa Mindanao.”

“We returned here to bring President Marcos’ message that Mindanaoans are important in the New Philippines. No one is left behind,” said Romualdez in mixed Filipino and English.

The Speaker represented the President, his cousin, during the opening of the Davao City BPSF at the University of Southeastern Philippines.

The BPSF in Davao City is the 23rd installment of the service caravan and was locally spearheaded by MinDA chief Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, in coordination with Reps. Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre (Tingog), Diana Bautista-Lim (Dumper PTDA), Margarita Nograles (PBA) and Sandro L. Gonzalez (Marino).

The program aims to cover all 82 provinces nationwide, bringing with it the advocacy of a “Mabilis, Maayos, Maginhawa at Masayang Serbisyo Publiko.”

It was the third BPSF in the Davao region, with the first being in Monkayo, Davao de Oro during the nationwide launch in September last year, and in Tagum City, Davao del Norte last June.

House Deputy Secretary General Sofonias Gabonada, Jr., an official of the BPSF, said P1.2 billion will be spent for government services and financial assistance to 250,000 beneficiaries, with 38 participating agencies rolling out 57 programs.

P1 billion of this amount will be in the form of cash aid to indigent citizens, he said.

Gabonada also said 150,000 beneficiaries benefited from DSWD’s Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), while 50,000 citizens