QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Little less than a year since the inaugural of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and in line with his upcoming second State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) kicked off the ‘Nagkaka1sang Bumabangon: The 2023 Pre-SONA Caravan’ at the Las Piñas East National High School in Las Piñas City on Wednesday, May 10.

This pre-SONA event is a platform for various national government agencies to report their accomplishments and share with the Filipino people where we are so far under the leadership of President Marcos.

PIA Director-General Ramon Lee Cualoping III shared with pride the programs and projects accomplished by the Marcos administration during the first eight months as the country's President. Sharing that the administration has just begun and it will continue to deliver services to the people toward the nation’s recovery.

DG Cualoping also committed to continuing the #ExplainExplainExplain advocacy of the agency to dismiss all the disinformation and share factual information to ensure that all Filipinos are well-informed about government programs and projects.

“Iikot kami sa buong Pilipinas, bakit? Maraming fake news, maraming misinformation. Ngunit sa walong buwan pa lamang kita nyo naman na napakarami nang nagawa ni Pangulong Marcos.

Ang sabi nga niya, the state of the nation is sound. And it will only get better in the next five years because ang sabi nga natin, we’ve only just begun,” DG Cualoping said.

The first leg highlighted health and social service accomplishments for the first year of Marcos administration in line with the vision to provide healthcare for every Filipino.

Moreover, the event is also an opportune time to make known and bring government services closer to the Filipino people.

During the caravan, the Department of Health-Metro Manila Center for Health and Development brought with them their ‘Chikiting Ligtas’ campaign aimed to vaccinate children against measles, rubella, and polio. The Philippine Cancer Society also provided free cancer screening.

Aside from informing the public of their accomplishments, various services from these agencies were also provided:

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) shared information on family planning and adolescent health. In partnership with Las Piñas City Health Office, they also distributed free family planning commodities such as condoms, pills, injectables, and implants.

PhilHealth conducted an on-site registration for non-members and people had the chance to register for its Konsulta Program.

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office had various activities including feeding program; medical and dental services; provision of soap; On-site processing of Police Clearance; and livelihood training for rug and charcoal making.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was also among the government agencies which participated in the information and service caravan.

Through its Field Office-National Capital Region, the DSWD provided different types of outright cash assistance for the beneficiaries' medical, transportation, funeral, and burial needs through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program each beneficiary receiving Php 3,000.

Meanwhile, the in-house Puppet Theater of PIA also performed and brought joy to the event.

The PIA National Capital Region in partnership with the City of Las Piñas LGU, spearheaded this first pre-SONA event which is expected to happen in all regions nationwide.

PIA Deputy Director-General Katherine S. De Castro, Deputy Director-General Karl Louie B. Fajardo, Deputy Director-General Nicole J. Managbanag and Deputy Director-General Eileen C. David were also present during the event. (KSAA – PIA CPSD)