Bagong Pilipinas caravan goes to Laguna for two-day serbisyo fair

November 3, 2023

3–5 minutes

The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) caravan has made Laguna province its fifth stop bringing an
array of government services on November 4-5, 2023 at the Laguna Sports Complex in Santa Cruz town.

A flagship project of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., along with Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the House of Representatives, and the Presidential Communications Office, the BPSF is the country’s
biggest service caravan seeking to provide major government services to various communities
nationwide. It hosts an array of programs such as Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Lab For All, various livelihood programs, social services, educational programs, and regulatory services, among others.

During the BPSF launch in Camarines Sur on September 23, President Marcos Jr. said that the service caravan aims to improve the lives of underprivileged Filipinos in various communities by converging government agencies’ efforts and services.
“Magkakahiwalay man ang ating mga isla, pinagbubuklod-buklod naman tayo ng isang diwa at isang
pangarap: isang Bagong Pilipinas para sa Bagong Pilipino. Tinipon namin ang iba’t-ibang ahensya ng
pamahalaan upang sama-samang maghatid sa inyo ng mga benepisyong magpapagaan sa inyong mga kalagayan,” the President said.

The BPSF in Laguna will be participated by 40 government agencies with over 160 services and interventions for more than 70,000 expected participants from the province. The caravan offers free to minimal payment for overarching set of services from health, social protection, agricultural, livelihood,
educational, regulatory, legal, financial, among others.

Free health services await Lagunenses from the Department of Health (DOH) which includes medical consultations and diagnostic exams, pharmacy and laboratory services, dental, immunization, and visual inspection for HPV and cervical cancer patients.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will also award financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and family food packs.

Agricultural programs and issuance of grants are also one of the highlights of the caravan from
government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

Under livelihood and educational services, the following agencies are set to award special programs and benefits: Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

The BPSF will likewise extend services from the following government agencies: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for Passport on Wheels, Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for clearances, Land Transportation Office (LTO) for renewal of drivers’ licenses, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Bureau (LTFRB) for ‘libreng sakay’ to and from the venue, Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) for renewal of professional licenses, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Other government services include those from the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG), Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD),
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System, PhilHealth, PAG-IBIG, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

Aside from government interventions, BPSF offers free entertainment production for Lagunenses during the ‘Pasasalamat Concert’ where local artists are set to perform, alongside comedian Wacky Kiray and OPM icons Bamboo and Eric Santos at the Biñan Football Stadium on November 4, 7:00PM.
In a press briefing on November 3, Friday, Office of the Speaker Deputy Secretary General Sofonias
Gabonada Jr. said that Laguna is over 90% ready in the conduct of Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair and
praised local leaders in their commitment to mount the service caravan.
“it is not a joke to host a Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair… 170 programs and services, almost 60
government agencies, and anticipating over 69,000 beneficiaries across the province of Laguna. This is the biggest, the grandest, and the most meaningful service caravan that a government can provide to its people,” Gabonada said.

He said P300M-worth of services had been allocated to the province from the national government
agencies to be able to deliver initiatives and projects for the two-day fair.

“Out of the P300M, a cash assistance of P100M will be given across all agencies, majority to the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). You have another P100M to prime up the economy of Laguna, not just to provide services but also to make the economy of Laguna vibrant,” Gabonada added.

Laguna 2nd District Rep. Ruth Mariano Hernandez who serves as the local host for the Laguna leg, fully supports the Marcos administration’s aspiration of bringing more government services to the grassroots.
“Ito po ay brand ng governance and leadership ng ating current administration, ng ating mahal na Pangulo. Tanging layunin po ay ibaba ang lahat ng serbisyo, ilapit ang serbisyo sa lahat ng sulok ng ating bansa.