Home National Govt launches ‘Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa’ program, more than 10,000 Filipinos apply

National Govt launches ‘Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa’ program, more than 10,000 Filipinos apply

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When the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infected the country in late January this year, the most badly-hit region was the National Capital Region (NCR). With almost percent of COVID-19 infection cases, the national government saw the need to decongest the region to stop further spread. Metro Manila has a whopping population, with a much higher number during the day with millions of workers from other regions traveling in and out of the city. After all, it is the center of the largest hub for the country, that even far away citizens from Visayas and Mindanao would fly into the already busy streets. “Malaking factor po sa mabilis na pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa Metro Manila ang congestion o overcrowding,” Senator Bong Go said, proposing the ‘Balik-Probinsya’ Program last month. “Sabi nga ng mga eksperto, maraming global pandemics pa po ang mararanasan ng mundo sa hinaharap. Kailangan po natin ng mas proactive at pangmatagalang solusyon dito upang mas maging handa tayo sa hinaharap,” he continued. Go stressed in his proposal the need to hasten the development of the countryside by veering away from the centralized approach. This would be ideal not only to improve public health, but it would also solve the long-problem of traffic and promote and empower the economic development of the provinces across the country. “Isa sa mga nakikita nating long-term solution dito ay ang pagpapatupad ngBalik Probinsya’ program para ma-decongest ang ating mga urban centers at mapaunlad ang ibang rehiyon ng bansa,” Go added. Key officials immediately supported the initiative, and soon after created a handful of subprograms under it.  

Support from significant agencies

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) kickstarted the program by providing more incentives for businesses that will be put up in provinces. Through this, the department hopes to encourage more people to return home because of increased job opportunities. Moreover, DTI will refine its existing program to further develop micro, small and medium enterprises, involving, among others, small business capitalization starting at the barangay level. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) adopted a community-driven development approach in designing its own initiative to support the “Balik Probinsya” program. This will involve encouraging people affected by disasters or internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their original abodes. DSWD also aims to address other issues such as families preferring to stay in big cities for lack of regular sources of income in the province, children enrolled in different schools, housing problem forcing them to live with poor relatives in cramped dwellings, absence of farmland to till, and constrained support system, among others. In a press statement, Agriculture Secretary William Dar affirmed his full support to the “Balik Probinsya” initiative, recognizing that the proposed measure will “further boost government efforts to attain higher levels of food security.”  
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  Dar also mentioned a couple of issues the program should include looking into returning individuals’ resettlement, as well as employment and livelihood opportunities, social development, health supply system, to name a few. Acting National Economic Development Authority Secretary-General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua admitted, on the other hand, that the grant of incentives may be revisited since the present system grants the same incentives regardless of the location of a business in the country. However, by giving more incentives for new business in the countryside, Chua said that investors may be lured to invest outside of Metro Manila and other metropolitan areas. Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Chua believe that passage of Senate Bill 1357 or the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA) will reinforce the “Balik Probinsya” program where more incentives will be given to businesses in the provinces. “Hahanapan natin ng paraan upang ganahan ang mga negosyanteng mag-invest o mag-expand sa mga probinsya para naroon na rin ang trabaho at hindi na kailangan ng mga Pilipino doon na magpunta pa sa Metro Manila at lumayo sa kanilang mga pamilya,” the Senator said.  

10,000 pioneers

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 114 or the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” program on May 6, 2020. The same day, the program launched prompting thousands of Metro Manila residents to apply and enroll under the program, according to the National Housing Authority (NHA). “(It is) very promising because three days or four days thereafter, I already see 10,000 enrollees all over Metro Manila going to the top 10 provinces and municipalities of our country,” NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said in an interview on May 6. Among these 10 provinces are Leyte, Bohol, Samar, and Camarines Sur, according to the NHA official.  
To know more about how to apply for the Balik Probinsya Program, click here.
 

Executive Order 144

“The State shall ensure balanced regional development and equitable distribution of wealth, resources and opportunities through policies and programs that boost countryside development and inclusive growth, provide adequate social services, and promote full employment, industrialization and an improved quality of life in rural areas,” EO No. 114 stated.  
You can check the full document of EO No. 114 here
  Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Council will be chaired by the Executive Secretary and with the Socio-Economic Planning Secretary as vice-chairperson. The council, as stated under the EO, shall “identify legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to promote balanced regional development and recommend to Congress the enactment of such reforms into law.” It must also coordinate with local government units to formulate policies and implement the program’s components. The program’s key areas are empowerment of local industries; food security and agricultural productivity; social welfare, health and employment; and development of infrastructure. The funding requirements of its pipeline or existing programs, activities, or projects (PAPs) shall be identified by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or sourced from the agency heads’ respective appropriations.

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