Senator Bong Go initiated this revolutionary move to decongest Metro Manila
Close to more than 119 people are enrolled in the “Balik-Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-Asa” program and last Wednesday, May 20, the first batch left for Leyte to settle and to get out from Metro Manila, according to the state-run Philippines News Agency.
Added to the PNA, the people enrolled online via balkiprobinsiya.ph for assessment by the National Housing Authority to find out their basic needs and other agencies are involved to implement the program.
The “Balik-Probinsiya” which was changed to “Balik-Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-Asa” was approved by President Duterte with an Executive Order No. 114, supporting the motion of Senator Bong Go, Resolution No. 380 to form the balik-probinsiya initiative and its implementation.
In the PNA report, the beneficiaries of the first batch heading to Leyte received Ph5,000 for transportation allowance and upon arrival in Leyte, the Department of Social and Welfare Development will also provide the following:1) the family will receive food packs; 2) a Ph15,000 capital seed grant, after 15 days for possible livelihood assistance; 3) if the people who moved to the provinces would like to work, the agency will prepare facilitation program; minor children will receive a monthly grant.
As per observation, according to some sources, that during the imposition of lockdowns because of COVID-19, millions of Filipinos from Metro Manila clogged the bus terminal, pushing themselves spaces for the buses going to many provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Their destination: their home province.
The positive move by the Duterte government – to decongest the population of Metro Manila. As reported by PNA, Executive Order No. 114 aimed to 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 improve the quality of life in the rural areas Other government departments and agencies will be involved, like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to encourage business investments in the provinces and these companies will be given fiscal incentives.
“We encourage big companies to put up their plants or relocate. DTI will give them fiscal incentives like three to fours, even up to six years of tax holiday for those who will invest in the provinces, which they will not get if they invest in Metro Manila,” said Abdulgani Macatoman, Promotion Group of DTI.
Added to this initiative, those who will avail of the BP2 program may also benefit from the DTI livelihood seeding program, aside from the agency’s mentoring program for those who need further training for a business that they want to start up.
More beneficiaries are being processed and soon, many former Metro Manila residents will move to the provinces.
