NHA: Nearly 90,000 have so far applied for Balik Probinsya program

At least 89,219 people have already applied as beneficiaries of the government's "Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa Program" (BP2) as of Wednesday, according to the National Housing Authority (NHA).

NHA’s Marissa Maniquis presented the initial data at a hearing of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday. 

Of the total number, at least 48,908 applicants are planning to travel alone, while 40,311 want to go back to the provinces with their families.

The following provinces are the most preferred among the applicants:

• Leyte
• Samar
• Negros Occidental
• Northern Samar
• Camarines Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Eastern Samar
• Bohol
• Pangasinan
• Southern Leyte

Most of the applicants are in the age range of 18 to 25 years old with 54.82% of the total, followed by 20 to 35 years old which make up 28.75%.

The majority of the applicants have finished high school education comprising around 44 percent, followed by college graduates (20.33 %), then by individuals who reached college level (14.61%).

Most of the applicants are undecided on what industry they would like to pursue when they return to the province. They make up 16.75% of the applicants.

The most preferred industry for the applicants is buy and sell.

“We are very hopeful, with the whole government approach, mapapasaya po natin at mas magiging maunlad ang mga taong ito pati po ang taumbayan,” Maniquis said.

Recently, the NHA announced that the national government has suspended the implementation the BP2  to focus the resources on transporting stranded individuals in Metro Manila to the provinces for the meantime.

NHA General Manager and BP2 executive director Marcelino Escalada Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte gave a “clear instruction” to assist people who have been stranded due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

According to Escalada, the second rollout of the Balik Probinsiya program will happen around July. -MDM, GMA News