Balik Probinsya program got nearly 10k applicants in 5 days –NHA exec

Close to 10,000 individuals have already applied for the Balik Probinsya program, just five days after it opened for applications online, a National Housing Authority official said on Wednesday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, NHA general manager and Balik Probinsya executive director Jun Escalada said the online application started on Friday through https://balikprobinsya.ph/.

“As we speak right now, there are already close to 10,000 applicants,” Escalada said.

“There is an exponential increase every other day around 10 to 12 percent [rate] …For the next six months, talagang lolobo nang lolobo ang gustong bumalik ng probinsiya,” he added.

He noted that over 80 percent of the applicants were college-level graduates and almost 80 percent were working in Manila in food and bar related services.

Escalada also revealed the most preferred provinces that the applicants want to move into:

• Leyte
• Samar
• Southern Leyte
• Negros Oriental
• Negros Occidental
• Bohol
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Lanao del Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Pangasinan

According to Escalda, there are around 400 economic zones spread out in the country outside Metro Manila. He said that in these areas industries can employ around 1.5 million people.

Escalada noted that the application form online includes questions that will determine the field of interests of the applicants like farming, fishing, buy and sell, transport services, and many more.

“Tutuhugin natin ‘yung specifiv interest nila and ima-match natinsa specific mandate ng isang agency,” he said.

“Pagdating doon sa probinsiya nila, automatic na ang regional offices of the member council ng ating Balik Probinsiya, sasaluhin sila agad,” he added.

Escalada said an ID will be issued to the beneficiaries once they got accepted in the program.

“Once you present that you are under Balik Probinsya, priority ka na sa lahat ng project ng Department of Public Works and Highways, ng mga facilitation ng Department of Labor and Employment,” he said.

Call centers of the NHA will regularly check the situation of the beneficiaries, Escalada said.

Escalada cited some past attempts of the government to move residents to different regions. He said some of these previous programs lack several components.

According to him, the government now will shoulder the transportation but not by giving cash to the program beneficiaries. He implied that beneficiaries might use the money for another purpose and back out from the program.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week signed an executive order creating the Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa Council, which will direct the implementation of the government initiative meant to decongest Metro Manila and promote countryside development. —Joviland Rita/LBG, GMA News