PWERSA ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Representative lawyer Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles said that despite the political tension in Davao City, they still wanted to bring the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) to the city.
Nograles mentioned in her speech on Wednesday morning, September 5, 2024, at the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) Obrero campus, that she had discussed with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez the possibility of bringing the BPSF to Davao City to address the needs of the people.
She said that Romualdez is not focused on the political tension in the city but rather on addressing the needs of the people, which she considers more important. She also said that providing assistance to the Dabawenyos does not involve politics.
“Kining panghatag og ayuda wala ni halong politika, tabang ni sa mga taong bayan kaya nag abot ng 250,000 beneficiaries ang Bagong Pilipinas serbisyo fair na makadawat sa ayuda karong buntaga (This giving of assistance does not involve politics; rather, it is to help the people. That is why 250,000 beneficiaries of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair will receive assistance this morning),” she said.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said they wanted to bring the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair so that the people of Davao and Mindanao could access government services.
“Ang Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair ay isang proyekto, isang programa ng ating mahal na pangulo para mailulutas natin lahat ng Pilipino sa kahirapan ng buhay ito po ang sinasabi naming malasakit sa taong bayan (The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair is a project, a program of our president to help lift the Filipino people from poverty. This is what we call care for our country),” he said
Over 200,000 beneficiaries in the BPSF are expected, with about 150,000 receiving cash assistance through the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (Akap), and over 50,000 will be assisted under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program.
Apart from the cash assistance, the BPSF will feature around 38 participating agencies offering 57 program services to 250,000 beneficiaries. Half a million kilos of rice will be distributed for free, with each beneficiary receiving five kilos.
The BPSF is a two-day event taking place on September 5-6, 2024, and will be held at the University of Southeastern Philippines-Obrero Campus (USeP-Obrero). The Integrated Scholarship and Incentives Program (Isip), with a target of 3,000 beneficiaries, will be held at the USeP Oval, the Card program at El Pueblo, Countryside Road, Maa, and the Start-up, Investments, Business Opportunity, and Livelihood (Sibol) program, also with 3,000 beneficiaries, at Ayala Azuela Cove, Lanang.
This is the 23rd Serbisyo Fair in the country and the third BPSF in the Davao Region. The first was in Monkayo, Davao de Oro, for the nationwide launch in September 2023, and the second was in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, in June 2024.
To recall, First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte criticized the movement led by Nograles in Davao City on January 9, 2024, calling it a scheme by a few individuals to consolidate power rather than a true reflection of the people's will. However, Nograles debunked her involvement in the People’s Initiative (PI) for Charter change and stated that she had no comments on the allegations as she was unaware of the source of the claims. RGP