The House of Representatives’ Suporta sa Bayan Desk (SBD) has approved 3,592 requests and released PHP171,498,700 in assistance in 50 days after opening its doors to Filipinos in need.
Based on the SBD accomplishment report covering March 18 to June 22, the desk processed a total of 3,738 requests – 3,103 from walk-in constituents and 635 endorsed by House members – with 3,592, or 96 percent of these requests approved.
During the period, SBD served an average of 72 clients per day, with approved funding totaling PHP175,814,200, of which PHP171,498,700 had already been released to the recipients.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said the numbers, while remarkable, tell only part of the story.
“Every single one of those 3,592 approvals is a Filipino family that didn’t have to go home empty-handed, patients who can now afford their medicines, their dialysis, their operation,” Dy said in a news release.
“Kapag may lumalapit sa gobyerno na nangangailangan ng tulong, hindi dapat sila pinapahirapan. Ang gusto natin ay mas mabilis, mas maayos, at mas makataong serbisyo. Iyan ang layunin ng (When someone approaches the government for help, they should not be burdened. What we want is faster, more orderly, and more compassionate service. That is the goal of the) Suporta sa Bayan Desk. That is what public service looks like.”
Launched on March 17 under the leadership of Dy and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos of Ilocos Norte, the SBD serves as a one-stop facilitation center.
It assists applicants in completing documentary requirements before their requests are endorsed to partner agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).
Marcos hailed the 96 percent approval rate as proof that Congress can be a front-line partner in social services.
“A 96 percent approval rate is not just a statistic; it is a guarantee that when someone who needs help enters the doors of SBD, they leave with a fighting chance,” he said.
“The achievement of SBD in its first 50 days of operation underscores the solid commitment of the House of Representatives to making government aid faster, more compassionate, and more accessible to our people.”
In its first month of operation in March, the SBD served 507 clients; 1,138 in April; 1,008 in May; and 939 during the first 22 days of June.
The bulk of approved requests, totaling 2,376, were processed through the DOH, while the remaining 1,216 were coursed through the DSWD.
Assistance covered a wide range of medical and social needs, including cash relief, medicines and laboratory tests, hospital bills, chemotherapy and chemotherapy medicines, dialysis and hemodialysis, implants and devices, surgical procedures, therapy, and funeral assistance.
The SBD does not replace existing agency services but serves as a dedicated pre-processing and coordination unit.
It operates on a first-come, first-served basis from Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the last person in line has been attended to.
Dy said the House leadership intends to sustain and further improve the initiative to ensure more Filipinos can access government aid promptly.
“As long as there are Filipinos seeking assistance, the House will continue to find ways to serve them better. The Suporta sa Bayan Desk is proof that when government institutions work together, we can provide faster, more meaningful support to our people,” he said. (PNA)
