Manila – Groundwork in the three resettlement villages under the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program” in Zamboanga del Norte and Lanao del Norte starts this week with the establishment of Project Management Offices in each of the three projects.
In a meeting presided by BPBPP Council Chairman and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in Malacañang, the Council Secretariat headed by National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada, Jr. approved and accepted the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA) proposal to roll out the “Balik” Program with an initial three pilot projects.
Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, the main proponent of the “Balik Probinsya” program, attended the meeting along with Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Aimee Neri.
The “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program” which is implemented through an Executive Order issued by President Rody Duterte aims to decongest the urban centers by creating jobs and income opportunities in the provinces.
MinDA’s proposals were the results of a series of consultations conducted with the local governments of both provinces over a period of three weeks.
The pilot areas for the BPBPP Model Resettlements with 200 families each are:
– Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte which is proposing a village where the main activity would be Organic Broiler Chicken and Vegetable Production;
– Sergio Osmeña, Zamboanga del Norte for high value vegetables and free-range chicken production;
– Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte for tree farming with Cacao and Coffee intercrop and free-range chicken production.
Each of the model “Balik” pilot villages will have housing facilities which the beneficiary-families will pay back in the long term.
The families will be provided with livelihood support funds and subsistence allowance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development while other member agencies of the BPBPP Council will provide added support programs.
MinDA will also propose to the Department of Tourism that the “Balik” model villages be included in its Agri-Tourism Program.
The following timetable of activities was also set yesterday:
– June 2 to 3 – submission to the LGUs (Lanao Del Norte and Zamboanga del Norte) the list of applicant-families for vetting and validation;
– June 4 to 5 – vetting and validation of applicants by LGUs after which the list of selected families who have indicated their preference for agriculture activities will be returned to the BPBPP Secretariat.
– June 8 to 26 – location of families and start of health quarantine protocols and social preparation by Dept. of Health and DSWD;
– June 27 to 30 – actual transfer of the families from Metro Manila to their selected “Balik” provincial destinations where they will be housed in temporary shelters;
– July 1 to 15 – start of skills training for both men and women members of the families conducted by TESDA and continued health monitoring;
– July 16 – Construction of houses and livelihood facilities up to completion.
The first model resettlement villages along with the livelihood facilities are expected to be completed by October 2020.
The three model villages will serve as the template in the implementation of other “Balik” projects in other parts of the country.
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