Dipolog City – The Province of Zamboanga del Norte, listed as one of the poorest in the whole country, has agreed to establish the first Rural Resettlement Model for informal urban dwellers who would like to join the “Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa” Program pushed by Senator Christopher Lawrence Go and backed by President Rody Duterte.
Zamboanga del Norte Governor Roberto Uy eagerly volunteered his province to host the model BPBPP Rural Resettlement Community after I, as Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) presented the concept to him in a meeting at the Provincial Capitol in Dipolog City.
During the meeting, which was attended by almost all of the division chiefs of the provincial government and organized by his Executive Assistant, rural development worker Joey Bernad, Gov. Uy said the program could support his vision to lift the province from the ignominious club of the poorest provinces in the country.
The Zamboanga del Norte Governor said he will provide an area at least 50 hectares for the BPBPP Rural Resettlement Model good for 200 returninh Zambo Norte families who are now among the informal urban dwellers in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.
Also expected to join the BPBPP “Returnees” are highly-skilled Zamboangueños who left the poor province in search of better-paying jobs in the big cities.
During the discussion which followed my presentation of the MinDA’s concept of the Balik Probinsya Program, it was agreed that the first BPBPP Rural Resettlement Model will be focused on one common activity, preferably agriculture or fisheries based.
“We will follow the recommendation of the MinDA that the community should be involved in a common activity with a complete value chain to ensure that the Balik Probinsya families will earn and stay home for good and contribute to our province’s goal of reducing poverty,” Governor Uy said.
The land area along with support funds to start a livelihood project will be the provincial government’s initial counterpart in the establishment of the Balik Probinsya Rural Resettlement.
Under the Balik Probinsya Concept discussed during the two ZOOM Conferences convened by Sen. Go and participated in by heads of the different government departments and agencies, it was agreed that that implementation of the Balik Probinsya Program will be a “Whole-of-Nation Approach” where each agency is expected to contribute to its success.
The BPBPP as conceptualized by Sen. Go is aimed at decongesting the urban centers by convincing informal urban dwellers and even the highly-skilled migrant workers from the rural areas to return home to their provinces.
The “returnees” will be given initial financial support, housing and training to prepare them for income earning opportunities, including support services such as roads leading to the resettlement areas, irrigation and market linkage.
MinDA designed several models of the Rural Resettlement Communities under the Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa Program to include communal activities such as poultry raising, hog raising, goat raising and dairy production, vegetable production, tree farming and fruit production, cattle fattening, fish cage farming and even commercial fishing operations.
Another model designed by MinDA involves the establishment of processing facilities by private partners which will utilize provincial workers and local raw materials produced by both local farmers and Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa participants.
Gov. Uy said after the first model is established, the provincial government will replicate it in other areas of the province with a land area of over 700,000 hectares.
From Zamboanga del Norte, I will proceed today to Lanao del Norte to present the Balik Probinsya Program to Gov. Imelda Q. Dimaporo and Kauswagan town Mayor Rommel Arnado.
On Thursday, I will meet with Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri to propose the establishment of a vegetable and strawberry production-based Balik Probinsya Rural Resettlement Community in his province.
Next in the list of provinces which will be prioritized in the “Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa” program will be the provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region many of whose residents joined a modern-day diaspora because of the conflict which raged for half a century but which was effectively ended when President Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
The Zamboanga del Norte Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa Model Rural Resettlement Community concept will be presented during the next ZOOM Conference of the BPBPP Inter-Agency Task Force presided by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
(Photos of the meeting between the MinDA Chairman and Gov. Uy and his staff were taken by the MinDA Staff.)
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