Gov’t suspends Balik Probinsiya program

The national government has suspended the implementation of the Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa Program so that resources could be focused on transporting stranded individuals in Metro Manila to the provinces, an official said Thursday.

National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte gave a “clear instruction” to assist people who have been stranded due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

“This was a clear instruction from the President, unahin pauwiin ang ating mga kababayan na stranded dito sa Maynila and these are the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), the construction workers, ating mga turista at mga estudyante. That is the arrangement right now,” Escalada, the program’s executive director, said in a televised briefing.

Escalada said the implementation of the Balik Probinsiya program will resume once transportation is available  and stranded individuals have been assisted.

“I foresee that in the next month, let’s say for example July, I think bababa na ang demand ng stranded and therefore [ang] Balik Probinsiya will now take our second rollouts by that time,” he said.

“We want to make sure that on one hand the LGUs (local government units) are ready to receive their own constituents by then.”

The program, whose backers include Senator Bong Go, has attracted thousands of applicants and has already facilitated the return of more than 100 individuals in Leyte.

Duterte signed last month 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.

Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., however, has appealed for the suspension of the program, which he blamed for the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the province. --KBK, GMA News