The provincial government here and the Office of the President held Friday a caravan of government services that benefited thousands of Batangueños.

The event was held simultaneously in various parts of the country in celebration of the 67th birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and in partnership with several national government agencies (NGAs).

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto led the event at the provincial capitol compound here.

Among the NGAs that extended assistance were the Government Service Insurance System, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Statistics Authority, Land Transportation Office, Philippine National Police, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Bureau of Investigation and Department of Health.

The DOLE-Batangas conducted an implementation of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) orientation for 1,196 beneficiaries with a fund allocation of PHP6.9 million.

The agency also held a job fair where 2,586 vacancies were made available.

TESDA-Batangas distributed training support funds to 200 scholars amounting to PHP371,860, and scholarship fund certificates to 495 individuals worth PHP10,228,000.

“All cities and municipalities in Batangas, and all Batangueños, together with national line agencies in the province, we greet our President today as he shows his true concern, solidarity, and help to raise the dignity of every Filipino,” Mandanas said in his message in Filipino.

For his part, Recto shared that over 1.8 million individuals in the country will benefit from over PHP10 billion worth of programs and financial assistance to be distributed nationwide on Friday.

“I am glad that today you will benefit from the program of our government on the very day of the birth of our dear president. You know that we Filipinos have a habit that when there is a birthday, we give gifts but, on this day, our President has a gift ready for all Batangueños and Filipinos,” he said.

Over PHP500 billion was allocated for programs such as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, senior ctizens’ Pension, Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situation, TUPAD, and Free College Education, among others, he added.

Apart from these assistance programs, Recto said the national government is spending over PHP1 trillion to “strengthen our economy by setting up our infrastructure” where over 50 million Filipinos gain livelihood.

The goal of all this, in the first two years of this administration, is to reduce the poverty of more than 2 million Filipinos and another 8 million Filipinos by 2028, according to him.

Meanwhile, the provincial government, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, distributed cash aid including medical assistance amounting to PHP3.6 million and burial assistance worth over PHP1 million. (PNA)