The government expects to serve over 80,000 residents from Butuan City villages and Agusan del Norte towns in the two-day Bagong Pilipinas Service Fair (BPSF), currently being held at the Caraga State University campus here.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, together with Governor Maria Angelica Rosedell Amante and Agusan del Norte 1st and 2nd district Reps. Jose Aquino III and Dale Corvera, led the opening of the two-day BPSF activity on Friday.

Some 53 government line agencies participated in the activity, offering 293 programs and services to the beneficiaries.

At least PHP300 million worth of services and programs will be released to the beneficiaries, part of which was the PHP32 million for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation granted to 32,000 beneficiaries.

Some 200,000 kilograms of rice will also be distributed to selected beneficiaries during the fair.

“I am thankful to the local officials and the line agencies in Agusan del Norte for taking part in this well-organized and coordinated BPSF,” Romualdez said.

Aside from allocating the needed appropriations for programs and services, he added, the House must also ensure its implementation directly to the people to address the issues and concerns in their communities.

“We are lucky to have the BPSF scheduled here in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte in the first quarter of 2024,” Venus Garcia, director of the Philippine Information Agency-13 (Caraga Region), said in an interview with reporters at the sideline of the event.

Garcia said most of the beneficiaries in the BPSF belong to vulnerable sectors in the province and the city.

In a statement on Friday, Corvera said: “The BPSF is a holistic approach to bringing basic social services to our people in Agusan del Norte.” (PNA)