A thorough health check-up, especially tests for COVID 19, and extensive social preparation protocols for returning urban settlers are among the strict requirements set by local government units (LGUs) who will participate in the Mindanao Development Authority-coordinated (MinDA) Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program (BPBPP).
The concerns of the LGUs were discussed and adopted during the series of consultations initiated by MinDA and participated in by the LGUs and the regional representatives of the line agencies.
Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Q. Dimaporo and Zamboanga del Norte Roberto Uy have welcomed the establishment of the Balik Probinsya model resettlements in three towns in their province during a series of consultations conducted by MinDA over the last three weeks.
Under the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program pushed by Senator Christopher Lawrence Go which has yet to be launched in Mindanao, the following protocols were agreed on during the consultations:
1. Only original residents of the province will be allowed to return to their home provinces as the real guiding policy of “Balik Probinsya.”
2. The BPBPP Council will be asked to submit to the partner LGUs the list of families who have signified intent to join the Balik Probinsya Program for vetting and selection since only 200 families will be accommodated in each of the three pilot areas;
3. Identified families will undergo medical check and social preparation in the place where they will come from. That will take 2 weeks.
4. Upon arriving in their home provinces, they will be placed under medical observation again for 2 weeks while undergoing training by TESDA at the same time.
5. Once they are cleared, they will start building their homes and structures in their new community.
6. All line agencies will join the program under the Whole-of-Nation-Approach initiated by President Rody Duterte.
The Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program for Mindanao will have three model communities located in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, Sergio Osmeña in Zamboanga del Norte and Kalawit, also in Zamboanga del Norte.
Each model community will have distinct activities with complete value chain and will also involve local farmers as suppliers of support materials.
The MinDA team travelled by land to Metro Manila over the weekend for a series of meetings with the BPBPP Council Secretariat to finalize the launching of the program in Mindanao.
The Balik Probinsya Program in Mindanao is expected to be launched before the end of June this year with the first model resettlements to be operational by October this year.
More Stories
Trump Presidency Boon To Philippine Agriculture
Mindanao Fruit Fest Scheduled Sept. 2025
DA, MinDA, LGU! MinDA Targets Tribal Areas For Highland Rice Farming