The government’s “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” (BP2) program has facilitated some 654 individuals who wished to go back to their provinces, since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in March 2020.

On Tuesday, some 37 beneficiaries, composed of eight families and an individual, were the latest recipients of the BP2 program as they returned to the province of Masbate.

The National Housing Authority (NHA), which serves as the BP2 program head secretariat, has facilitated the logistical requirement and the dispatch proceedings of the beneficiaries at the BP2 Depot in Quezon City, including registration, orientation, and swab testing to ensure safe travel going back to their hometowns.

Albert Paolo Dayao, deputy head for NHA’s BP2 program operations, encouraged as many families or individuals as possible to return to their respective provinces, most especially those informal settlers in urban communities in the metropolis.

“Kung meron naman silang uuwian sa kani-kanilang mga probinsya, may paglalagian po sila (If they have homes in the respective provinces, they have a place to stay with). Please do so, because the main purpose of this program is to decongest Metro Manila and also provide equal opportunities between the rural areas and here in Metro Manila,” Dayao said.

“If you would like to join the program, please visit our website www.balikprobinsya.ph and register there,” he added.

Dayao said BP2 beneficiaries can also avail of the different assistance from various government agencies or any programs under the Office of the President.

These opportunities include the provision of transportation, sustainable livelihood assistance, and cash aid, as well as skills training programs, among others.

The NHA also offers a housing program to those qualified beneficiaries.

“If ever man na wala silang titirhan doon po sa pupuntahan nilang province, na hindi pa po nadidispose, pwede po nating i-offer yun sa kanila (If ever they don’t have houses to live with in the province where they are going. If we (NHA) have existing housing units that have not been disposed of, we can offer it to them),” Dayao said.

He said the houses are not free but can be availed at the lowest price, affordable and decent shelters for the Filipino people.

An Executive Order No. 114, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on May 6, 2020, institutionalized the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program, with the primary goal of addressing overcrowding in Metro Manila’s urban area and assisting informal settlers to go back to their home provinces with a fresh start. (PNA)