As the nation celebrated the 68th birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the province of Bataan marked the occasion not with fanfare alone, but with concrete acts of service that reached families, workers, and communities.
At The Bunker in Balanga City, thousands of Bataeños gathered for the Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat program, which turned a day of celebration into a day of hope as jobs, training, livelihood, and assistance were brought closer to the people.
The celebration reflected the essence of Bagong Pilipinas — that progress is best measured not in speeches or ceremonies, but in the everyday lives uplifted by government service.
A message of service and vision
Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Rehabilitation Jose Rizalino Acuzar, representing President Marcos Jr., delivered the Chief Executive’s message of gratitude and commitment.
“Ako po ay naririto bilang kinatawan ng ating mahal na Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr. upang ipaabot ang kanyang taos-pusong pasasalamat at pagbati sa inyo… Sa pamamagitan ng programang Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat, ating matutunghayan ang nationwide o sabay-sabay na pagsasagawa ng serbisyo fair sa iba’t ibang rehiyon at probinsya ng bansa,” Acuzar said.
He emphasized that programs such as affordable rice, job fairs, medical services, and training support are not isolated interventions but part of a larger vision of a Bagong Pilipinas where no Filipino is left behind.
Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert Garcia likewise urged the people to offer prayers for the country’s leader.
“Ngayong kaarawan po ng ating Pangulo nawa’y handugan natin siya ng makabuluhang panalangin dahil talagang pambihira itong mga hamon na pinagdadaanan ng ating bansa. Ang ating Pangulo bilang ating leader, ipagdasal natin na bigyan pa siya ng lakas ng loob, tibay ng pangangatawan, at talino ng kaisipan ng sa ganoon ay talagang madala niya ang ating bansa sa isang matiwasay na estado ng Bagong Pilipinas,” he said.
Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III, for his part, highlighted the strong coordination between national and local governments in serving communities.
“Handog po ngayon ng iba’t ibang mga ahensya ang mga serbisyo na matagal na rin nating napapakinabangan pero ngayon itinaon natin sa kaarawan ng ating mahal na Pangulo para mas maramdaman pa natin ang kanya pong birthday at syempre handog niya po ito para sa ating lahat. Umasa po kayo na tuloy-tuloy yung pagbibigay ng serbisyo at magagandang programa at proyekto mula sa national hanggang sa local government,” the governor said.
Services that touch lives
The fair brought together national agencies and local offices in a whole-of-government effort to respond to community needs.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in partnership with the Public Employment Services Office, held a job fair that offered 977 opportunities from five local companies and one overseas employer.
DOLE also conducted an orientation for 240 Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries, with 80 participants each from Balanga City, Pilar, and Samal, who will be engaged in community work for 10 days at P550 per day.
For Pilar resident Sally Bonus Punzalan, a 44-year-old mother of two college students, the support provides relief for her family’s needs.
“Malaking ginhawa po sa aming pamilya ang pagiging bahagi ng TUPAD program… Maligayang kaarawan po President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sana po ay patuloy po kayong pagpalain ng ating Panginoon at patuloy na gabayan sa pagharap sa mga problemang kinakaharap ng ating bansa. Marami pong salamat,” she said.
Meanwhile, 500 families affected by Typhoon Carina received cash assistance through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority awarded symbolic certificates of training assistance to 50 scholars for Bartending NC II and Front Office Services NC II, opening opportunities in the hospitality and service sectors.
In a push for environmental renewal, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources turned over 3,000 duhat seedlings to the provincial government under the “Punla ng Pag-asa para sa Luntiang Bagong Pilipinas” program, supporting reforestation and a greener province.
Business support was likewise available through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which provided loan inquiries and facilitation via Small Business Corporation, online business name registration, Barangay Micro Business Enterprise processing, and Youth Entrepreneurship Program consultations.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) offered frontline services such as new member registration, issuance of Personal Identification Numbers, amendment of records, release of Member Data Records, and issuance of PhilHealth ID cards.
Affordable goods and shared celebration
The fair also made daily essentials more accessible to families. Through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, the Bente Pesos na Bigas Meron Na program sold rice at P20 per kilo.
Lovelyrose Qubing, a single mother of two from Barangay Wawa, Abucay, availed five kilograms of rice.
“Maraming maraming salamat po Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa bente pesos na bigas at happy birthday po,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo trade fair spearheaded by DTI and the Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development Office featured food and non-food items, handicrafts, and agricultural products from local exhibitors at affordable prices, providing both consumers and entrepreneurs with a venue for exchange.
The Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat in Bataan stood as more than a birthday tribute — it was a collective expression of service, unity, and progress.
By bringing government closer to the people, the fair affirmed that the promise of Bagong Pilipinas is realized not in words alone, but in the lived experiences of every Filipino family. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Bataan)
