ILOILO – Thousands of Ilonggos trooped to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on Saturday as the national government launched the massive service caravan “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat,” bringing with it cheap rice, free medical services, jobs, and aid for farmers—all in one venue.
The program, timed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 68th birthday, highlighted the administration’s push to make government presence felt at the grassroots.
“The opportunity to serve is a privilege,” said Education Undersecretary Peter Irving Corvera, stressing the President’s directive to directly connect government services to citizens.
Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero of the Department of Interior and Local Government echoed the sentiment.
“Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat reflects the administration’s steadfast commitment to delivering genuine and meaningful public service. It is a people-centered governance initiative led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., designed to ensure that government assistance programs and opportunities reach communities directly especially those who need them most,” he said.
One of the biggest draws was the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” program, which allowed families from vulnerable sectors to purchase 10 kilos of rice for only P200—or P20 per kilo.
A total of 1,400 bags of rice, each weighing 50 kilos, were made available, benefitting around 7,000 individuals.
“This will really help us. The rice can last us for two weeks or more,” said 32-year-old beneficiary Melanie Abello of Barangay Benedicto.
The Capitol grounds also became a hub for employment as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in partnership with the Provincial Employment Service Office, staged a job fair offering more than 1,000 vacancies from 20 companies.
Social Security System (SSS) and PhilHealth desks were likewise present to guide jobseekers and workers.
Health services were another major component. The Department of Health deployed frontliners for free consultations, medicines, geriatric screening, and noncommunicable disease checks. Provincial hospitals joined the effort, implementing a one-day zero balance billing policy for discharged patients.
Farmers were not left out. The Department of Agriculture handed over a four-wheel tractor with implements to a farmers’ group from Igbaras, distributed 50 bags of corn seeds to Miagao farmers, fertilizer stubs to 14 LGUs, and fuel subsidies to 87 farmers. Indemnity checks worth P798,189 were also released to 192 farmers and fisherfolk.
For small businesses, the Department of Trade and Industry announced that two MSMEs (micro, small, medium enterprises) in Iloilo had just secured loans under the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.) program, part of the P5.3 million in approved loans for the province this year.
“This gathering is a testament to our shared commitment to public service and to bringing the government closer to our people,” said Vicente B. Flores Jr., head of the Capitol’s General Services Office. “It is also about the delivery of innovative, inclusive, and impactful programs that will empower our communities and uplift lives.”/PN
