The government distributed a whooping P1.26 billion dole-outs to the people of Tacloban on Monday in celebration of the first anniversary of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF).

The BPSF is one of the flagship programs of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. designed to bring various government services to communities nationwide, with poor households in far-flung areas being the top priority. 

The P1.26 billion dole-outs were comprised of various government assistance, including rice, scholarship, and livelihood, with the P807 million in the form of cash, all had been handed out to estimated. 253,000 beneficiaries.

At least 56 national government agencies participated in the region-wide service caravan with over 328 services offered to more than 253,000 beneficiaries from provinces in Eastern Visayas.

A total of 241 House members flew to Tacloban to witness the ninth BPSF spearheaded by Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Three governors, three vice governors, nine mayors, and 16 officials from the Executive Department were also in attendance.

Romualdez expressed strong eagerness to bring the financial and social services of the service caravan to not only in provinces but also in "big cities."

"Let's pray that BPSF will be able to visit all 82 provinces of the Philippines, so that everyone can experience how the administration of PBBM brought public service closer to all people," said the House chief, one of BPSF's proponents.

Roughly 56 national government agencies took part in the region-wide service caravan with over 328 services offered to beneficiaries in Eastern Visayas, more than in all of the provinces in Eastern Visayas.

According to House Deputy Secretary-General Sofonias Gabonada, top officials of the BPSF, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Labor and Employment “have conducted and will continue to conduct cash aid payouts across Region VIII, which is expected to reach over 140,000 individuals.”

College students also obtain scholarship programs from the Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, including livelihood assistance and opportunities for various sectors of pre-identified eligible clients across Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,000 beneficiaries in Eastern Samar each received P5,000 and 20 kilograms of rice under the Cash Assistance and Rice Distribution (CARD) Program, respectively.

Romualdez has vowed the House will work tirelessly to ensure additional funds into the P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 are provided for programs and services essential to the component of BPSF, such as Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Passport on Wheels, and Driver's License registration/assistance, among others.