TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 10 (PIA) -- Twenty-five Boholano individuals joined the rising number of people who decided to come home for good to start anew.
Most of them do not own permanent homes or are not regularly employed, were affected by the pandemic restrictions, and were measly paid or evicted from their often unsafe dwellings.
The 25 members of the five families who came back to Bohol applied for the government’s program to decongest urban poor communities in Metro Manila and its surrounding regions.
Beneficiaries of the Balik Probinsya-Bagong Pag-asa (BP2), the five families from Mabini, Alicia, Bilar, Calape, and Dauis received one-way plane ticket to Bohol.
As the migration to the cities grew, authorities believe there is still hope for a better future for Filipinos through equity in resources throughout the country that will boost countryside development.
Through the BP2, the government intends to address Metro Manila’s congested urban areas by encouraging people, especially informal settlers, to return to their home provinces and assist them in this transition with support and incentives on transportation, family, livelihood, housing, subsistence and education, among others, according to government sources.
Using the whole-of-nation approach, the program thrives on the convergence of efforts of the multi-stakeholders pitching in to help the individuals or families start a new life.
The BP2 eyes an all-inclusive intervention in the reintegration of individuals and families through livelihood support, community grants, join and participate in community activities, earn skills trainings to enhance family and community readiness for disasters and preparedness in emergencies.
BP2 has assistance packages like transportation allowances and livelihood settlement grants from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and potential educational assistance.
Aside from transportation allowance, BP2 has prepared a transitory family support package of between P10,000 to P50,000 to cover for food and non-food items during reintegration transition and livelihood settlement grants amounting to P50,000 as start-up capital through the DSWD sustainable livelihood program, DTI Go Negosyo livelihood kits, and possible housing assistance from the National Housing Authority.
The government is also assisting local government units (LGUs) in projects needed to develop or rehabilitate areas where the returning families resettle by community grants to the municipality of up to P7M for basic services, P350,000 for social preparation activities per town, and P200,000 for capacity building activities.
From 2021, according to DSWD, 337 families in Central Visayas have been provided transitory family support package.
Around 15 families have been sent out of Manila, three families have opted to get livelihood settlement grants, and 25 LGUs have entered into an agreement with BP2 for the qualified BP2 beneficiaries. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)
