DILG hits Gabriela for erroneously attacking Balik Probinsiya program

Party-list Gabriela and its allies took a lashing on Saturday from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for mistakenly launching an attack on the Balik Probinsiya program.

In a statement, DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that Gabriela made a basic error in criticizing the Balik Probinsiya program by barking at another government program Hatid Probinsiya.

According to Malaya, the "leftist" women's group failed to distinguish between the two programs. Hatid Probinsiya is a humanitarian program meant to send back home thousands of people stranded in Metro Manila due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, "Balik Probinsiya program is a long-term government program designed to help low income families in Metro Manila resettle in their home provinces, especially those who live in over-crowded informal settlement areas."

“By attacking the Balik Probinsiya program, Gabriela showed that its true agenda was never the truth but merely to nitpick and to discredit the government at every possible opportunity,” he said.

"Gabriela erroneously premised its attack on Balik Probinsiya on the recent report that two people repatriated recently to Leyte province by the government were found positive with COVID-19. The leftist group claimed the two were among those sent back home by the government under Balik Probinsiya," Malaya added.

“Sana naman eh itong Gabriela at ang mga kapareho nitong grupong maka-kaliwa ay itigil na ang walang habas na pagbatikos ng walang basehan sa ating pamahalaan."

He also called on the group and its allies to "just help the government in fighting the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and addressing hardships the crisis caused on many Filipinos instead of spreading disinformation."

Malaya further clarified that Hatid Probinsiya helps stranded people while Balik Probinsiya is a long-term program to make low income families relocate to better lives in their home provinces. Moreover, the government prescribed strict health protocols to the home provinces when they welcome returning residents such as testing protocols, and immediate quarantine or isolation in a separate facility, if needed.

“Balik Probinsiya, on the other hand, will provide these poor families with livelihood, housing, access to educational and health facilities near their residences, and probably even land for agricultural development.

"So, how can it cause more economic problems for these families?” he said. —LBG, GMA News