Balik Barangay gets P2.9M from the city

The city council has allocated P2.9 million for the 29 mountain barangays that will avail of the "Balik Barangay" project initiated by Mayor Tomas Osmeña as a security measure during the ASEAN Summit in December. The budget was proposed by Association of Barangay Councils president Eugenio Faelnar in a letter to Osmeña dated July 19. The cash aids would be subject to the project proposals, which shall contain the detailed schedule of the barangays' activities from December 10 to 20.

"In support of your plan to have mountain barangays conduct activities in their respective areas during the duration of the ASEAN Summit as a security measure to avoid congestion at the city proper, I am proposing that mountain barangays be granted cash aids to support the said activities, subject to the submission of their project proposals which shall contain the detailed schedule of their activities for the period of December 10 to 20," Faelnar's letter read.

The beneficiary barangays include Adlaon, Agsungot, Bacayan, Babag, Binaliw, Bonbon, Budla-an, Buhisan, Buot-Taup, Busay, Cambinocot, Guba, Kalunasan, Lusaran, Mabini, Malubog, Pamutan, Paril, Pulangbato, Pung-ol, Sibugay, Sapangdaku, Sinsin, Sirao, Sudlon I, Sudlon II, Tabunan, Tagba-o, Taptap and Toong.

Osmeña's primary intention with the program is to decongest and maximize security in the city with the arrival of at least P5,000 foreign delegates in the summit come December 11 to 14.

The "balik-bukid" program has the same concept Osmeña is proposing with the "balik-probinsiya" program wherein he is offering P100,000 to the different towns and cities to undertake activities that would encourage people in the city to return to their hometowns during the four-day summit.

Osmeña believes that the "balik-probinsiya" and "balik-bukid" programs could stir interest among those who come from the provinces but who currently live in the city and entice them to plan a holiday from December 11 to 14. Arroyo formally declared the dates as official holidays.

Likewise, Osmeña said this would also give out-of-town businessmen a chance to attract consumers who would attend the activities. The end result, he said, would be an infusion of money into the municipalities and cities. Just three days before the ASEAN Summit, at least 250 business leaders from around the world would converge in the city for the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting. - Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV