INCOMING Parañaque 2nd District Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan has announced plans to expand his flagship educational assistance program, BAON (Bigay Ayuda at Oportunidad sa Nakababata), to support more underprivileged but deserving students in his constituency.

“Our BAON program had a huge impact on the youth in the second district. We will continue implementing it and find ways to broaden its scope to benefit more Parañaqueños,” Yamsuan said.

“We will start on day one of my term,” he added, as he prepares to take office in the 20th Congress.

Currently the lone nominee of the Bicol Saro Party-list in the 19th Congress, Yamsuan emphasized that education will remain one of his top priorities, describing it as a vital tool for empowering the youth and enabling them to shape a better future.

“Our goal is to make education affordable and easily accessible to give everyone an equal opportunity to succeed,” he said.

Reflecting on his own journey, Yamsuan noted:

“Education, diligence, and determination were what I held onto to rise above poverty. I know that with proper education, a stable future awaits every hardworking Parañaqueño.”

Launched last year, the BAON program provides a one-time cash grant of ₱5,000 to eligible student-beneficiaries, with ₱10,000 allotted for Dean’s Listers or students recognized with High Honors.

As of April 2025, it has supported approximately 5,000 students across elementary, high school, and college levels in the city’s second district.

Looking ahead, Yamsuan said he is working with fellow lawmakers to explore increased government support for the Parañaque City campus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), to expand access to quality higher education for students from low-income families.

PUP Parañaque, founded through the efforts of former mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr., offers degree programs in computer engineering, hospitality management, information technology, and office administration, as well as a diploma program in legal office management.

Yamsuan credited the success of the BAON program as a key factor in gaining strong youth support during the election.

“As the saying goes, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ Our programs will focus on long-term, life-changing outcomes,” he said.