The Barangay Service Point Officer (BSPO) Congress 2017, an event organized by the Iloilo Provincial Population Office (PPO), is set to open at the Pototan Coliseum today, November 29.

The BSPO is the community arm of the PPO, tasked with gathering demographic data from barangays. A total 2,634 BSPO volunteers, from 43 local government units in the province, are expected to attend the event.

According to PPO head Ramon Yee, the gathering is an opportunity to thank the volunteers for their diligence in providing up-to-date demographic data, which he said is essential for development planning.

The provincial government will be awarding an annual P4,000 incentive to each of the volunteers, which is separate from the honorarium they already receive from their respective barangay and local government.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. is expected to deliver the keynote address, while National Economic and Development Authority-Region VI (NEDA-6) Policy Formulation and Planning Division head Lourdes B. Miado was also invited to attend./JAN, WDJ