THE country’s finance chief gave Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez with high marks, hailing him as the “secret weapon” of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. during the launch of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Lipa City, Batangas, on Saturday.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto credited Speaker Romualdez—who is also the President’s first cousin—as a key driving force behind the administration’s success.
“Nandito ang liderato ng Kongreso, partner ng Pangulo, first cousin ng Pangulo, at taga-isip ng programang tulad nito. Siya ang dahilan kung bakit tayo may [BPSF],” Recto, a Batangas native and former senator and congressman told the crowd as he introduced Speaker Romualdez.
“Kailan ba kayo nakakita ng Speaker na bumisita sa lalawigan ng Batangas? Nagbigay ng panahon. Ang taong ito, haligi ng BBM administration. Secret weapon ng ating Pangulo," Recto said, underscoring the Speaker’s commitment and pivotal role in the current administration.
"Kaya kung maganda ang takbo ng BBM administration, ‘yan ay dahil din sa taong ipakikilala ko sa inyo," Recto added, referring to the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives.
The event on Saturday, marking the first of two days of BPSF in Batangas, saw the rollout of P563-million worth of government services and financial aid to over 60,000 Batangueños.
The BPSF, which continued in the province until Sunday, Aug. 25, is a comprehensive service caravan designed to reach all 82 provinces in the Philippines.
Upon instruction of President Marcos, Speaker Romualdez was instrumental in the distribution of various aid packages under the BPSF, including the Cash Assistance and Rice Distribution (CARD) program, the Integrated Scholarships and Incentives Program (ISIP) for the Youth, and the Start-Up, Investments, Business Opportunities and Livelihood (SIBOL) program.
During the CARD program’s distribution, 3,000 beneficiaries received P5,000 each through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), along with 20 kilograms of rice.
Speaker Romualdez explained that the CARD program is designed to support vulnerable Filipinos by providing affordable access to essential resources, while also countering hoarding and price manipulation of rice stocks.
For the ISIP for the Youth, 3,000 students received P5,000 under the DSWD’s AKAP and five kilograms of rice at the Lipa Academy of Sports, Culture and Arts.
These student-beneficiaries will also be enrolled under the Commission on Higher and Technical Education’s (CHEd) Tulong Dunong Program, providing further financial support for their education.
The SIBOL program, aimed at fostering innovation and economic growth among MSMEs and start-ups, also benefited 3,000 small entrepreneurs in Batangas, each receiving P5,000 and five kilograms of rice at the Claro M. Recto Events Center.
In a separate speech, Recto assured the public that the BPSF was not a political rally but a genuine act of service, emphasizing unity and public service over factionalism.
“Ang pagtitipon pong ito ay hindi rally, kundi serbisyo. Hindi pamumulitika, kundi paglilingkod. Ang hatid ay hindi ang paghahati-hati sa mga paksyon-paksyon o buklod-buklod, kundi ang pagsasama sa layuning makatulong. Hindi hidwaan, kundi ginhawa,” Recto stressed.
He further pointed out, “Kita niyo naman, sangkaterbang serbisyo ang narito ngayon. Lahat yata ng ahensya na nakasulat sa government directory nandidito na, present lahat dine.”
The BPSF-Batangas is the 22nd iteration of this nationwide service caravan, reflecting the Marcos administration’s commitment to delivering comprehensive assistance directly to communities across the country.
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