ILAGAN CITY, Isabela – Over 100,000 Isabeleños gathered at Ilagan Sports Center Isabela for the first day of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) that brought a billion pesos worth of programs and cash assistance to the province.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez highlighted the significance of the fair in response to President Marcos’s call to request for quicker delivery of services to the populace.
Romualdez stressed that the administration stands ready to support everyone who aspires to and works toward a better life.
“Ito po ang pangako ng Bagong Pilipinas — isang nagkakaisang pamahalaan na hindi naghihintay, bagkus ay kusang umaabot sa mga mamamayan upang matugunan ang inyong mga pangangailangan sa mas lalong madaling panahon,” the Speaker said.
He underlined the Serbisyo Fair’s importance as a proactive way for the government to interact with and assist the populace, acknowledging the difficulties experienced by those living in rural areas.
The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, the premier initiative of President Marcos, is now in its eighth leg and is the first in Region 2.
Recognizing the presence of a quorum among his colleagues in the House of Representatives, the Speaker specifically mentioned Rep. Ed Christopher S. Go.” Now we are very proud to have another representative from Isabela na isang napakagaling na Deputy Floor leader,” Romualdez said.
Governor Rodito T. Albano III thanked the President and the Speaker Romualdez for their blessings to the people of Isabela, saying in a symbolic way, “When it rains, it pours.”
The governor emphasized the Speaker’s historic visit and the support he gave to the province, which amounted to over one billion pesos.
“Tuwang-tuwa kaming mga lider at mamamayan ng Isabela na dinala lahat ang humigit-kumulang isang bilyong pisong ayuda,” Gov. Albano emphasized.
Romualdez became the first House Speaker to set foot in the province of Isabela, bringing the services of the national government closer to the people.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Faustino “Bojie” Dy expressed his gratitude to the Speaker and the President, lauding the national government’s initiatives to make services more accessible to all residents of the province and the country as a whole.
Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano, the Deputy Speaker and representative for the Isabela First District, praised Romualdez for being one of the organizers of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair. He mentioned that Isabela currently houses 36 government agencies, removing the need for residents to travel to Manila to receive government services.
“The administration of our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is ready to help to uplift the lives of our people,” Albano said.
The fair, Ilagan City Mayor Josemarie Diaz stressed, makes these services available to the public without requiring them to travel to Manila or different executive department locations.
“Kung si Juan dela Cruz ay hindi makapunta sa Manila o Malakanyang o sa iba’t ibang departamento ng ating executive department, sila po ang pumunta sa atin dito sa probinsya ng Isabela,” he said.
By providing public access to government services and raising public knowledge of the government’s numerous initiatives and programs, Diaz’s service caravan sought to further the goals of the Bagong Pilipinas campaign.
The remarkable allocation was given to over 100,000 government service beneficiaries at the two-day Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Isabela on Nov. 25–26 at the Isabela National High School.
With 36 participating agencies, the BPSF is the first in the Cagayan Valley region, offering impoverished Isabeleños access to 195 major government services.
The caravan featured the primary programs of the government, such as the distribution of land titles, TUPAD, AICS, GIP, Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Passport on Wheels, and GIP.
A P140-million province-wide payout that went to over 42,000 individual clients in all three cities and 34 municipalities was one of the services offered by the DSWD. Furthermore, wheelchairs were provided at no cost by the Isabela Provincial Government (PGI).
Additionally, pre-identified qualifying clients were given access to a range of TESDA and CHED scholarship programs as well as livelihood assistance for various industries.
The Serbisyo Fair effectively combines different line agencies to provide services quickly, advancing society as a whole. The fair attempts to meet the various needs of the community by covering a wide range of topics, including employment, healthcare, and livelihood.