The Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) launched Sunday a comprehensive financial assistance program worth P75-million to over 15,000 members of the creative industry, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said.
“The BPSF is one of the programs of our President aimed to help every sector of society, including the creative industry. It only shows the government is not neglecting those from the field of arts and the media,” Romualdez told the beneficiaries.
The program was rolled out in an event titled “Paglinang sa Industriya ng Paglikha” (Honing the Creative Industry), which opened Sunday and end on Monday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
It focused on uplifting professionals from the film, television, theater and radio sectors by offering them a range of essential services and benefits.
Romualdez led the initiative as part of the BPSF, which already served over 2.5-million Filipino families nationwide. The government spent a total of 10-billion worth of public funds to support the program in more than 24 areas across the Philippines.
Deputy Secretary General Sofonias Gabonada, Jr. said the BPSF for the creative industry extended a P5,000 cash aid to eligible beneficiaries under the Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Speaker also gave each of the beneficiaries five kilos of rice for a total of 75,000 kilos of rice for the two-day event.
Gabonada said the financial aid program is part of the administration’s broader vision of supporting Filipino professionals in all sectors. He cited the BPSF also aims to equip the creative industry with skills and knowledge through various training sessions and industry-specific workshops.
“[With] every service of the BPSF, our goal is to reach out and provide opportunities to all workers from the creative sector,” he said.
The fair is also a platform for industry professionals to network, exchange ideas and explore collaborative projects that could lead to greater innovation within the creative sector.
The BPSF highlighted the importance of enhancing support for Filipino arts and media, aligning with the Marcos administration’s vision of promoting sustainable growth and development across all sectors.
“The government is just here to assure you of our support and opportunities, especially for the creative industry,” Romualdez said.
The BPSF partners with industry stakeholders to deliver job fairs and industry support programs that are tailored to the unique needs of professionals in the creative sector.
Romualdez said he is optimistic that the initiatives of the BPSF could pave the way for long-term benefits for people working in the creative industry.
