41 return to Cebu, Bohol under Balik Probinsiya Program

CEBU, Philippines —  A total of 41 beneficiaries of the Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently arrived in Cebu and Bohol from Metro Manila.

The program aims to decongest urban poor communities and send families back to their home province.

In a statement, DSWD-7 said that after two years of global pandemic, vulnerable families are still not able to cope with the ill effects of COVID-19, worsening their situations with loss of income, unstable livelihood opportunities, and risk of getting infected in urban areas.

The beneficiaries are part of the second batch of returnees from last year’s dispatch from Manila.  Representatives of the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), together with DSWD-7 welcomed the families on their homecoming before their final send-off to their communities in Cebu City, Bogo City, and Tabuelan.

In his welcome message, DSWD-7 assistant regional director for administration Antonio R. Dolaota shared the excitement with the families now that they returned home.

“We, at DSWD, are very happy to serve you with assistance from the national government,” he said.

 DSWD’s help from case management to send-off, transitory cash assistance to help them in their transition, and livelihood grants for start-up capital will also be given to the returning families.

Aside from the send-off, returning families received agri-business kits from DA to help ensure food security and agricultural productivity once they reintegrate back into their community. Local government officials were also present to welcome the returnees.

The representative from Tabuelan LGU announced that as part of their reintegration program, members of the returning families will be enrolled for training under the Tabuelan Center for Health and Wellness.

By the end of 2022, the program is expected to provide support to a total of 200 families.  DSWD began implementing the program in Central Visayas in 2021 and has provided temporary assistance and livelihood grants to returning families.

DSWD, together with other implementing agencies, launched the Balik Probinsiya Program at a time when COVID-19 cases and poverty incidence are high to help poor individuals and families cope with the effects of the pandemic. — FPL (FREEMAN)