MANILA – After the first batch of “Balik sa Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program” beneficiaries successfully reached their destination in Leyte, the BP2 Executive Council has yet to process 4,000 more Leyteños who also wanted to go home for good.
This was disclosed by National Housing Authority General Manager and BP2 Executive Director Marcelino Escalada, Jr. during a TV-radio interview, Friday. He said the first batch of 116 individuals from Leyte was part of their pilot project for the BP2 program, which aims to decongest Metro Manila and other metropolis of the country and to spur development in the provinces.
He said presently there are 4,000 Leyteños who already wanted to depart from Metro Manila but they have to coordinate closely with local government units which are the receiving end of the program.
“May isyu kase ‘yan sa LGUs dahil kailangan natin malaman ang capacity nila. I talked with the governor of Leyte at ang sabi niya Jun kaya lang namin ngayon ay 100, so ‘yon lang ang pinadala namin,” Escalada said. (There is an issue to resolve with LGUs because we have to know their capacity. I talked with the governor of Leyte and he told me they can only accommodate 100 so we sent them that number).
GM Escalada continued that they give priority to informal settlers and they are now finalizing the forms and guidelines to be distributed to the LGUs for those who are interested to be part of the program, which will hopefully start after the lockdown. “Kung alam nila ang internet ay pupunta sila sa website ng BP2 at may simple form na i-fill up”, he said. (They can go to the internet in the BP2 website if they know how to use it, and fill-up a simple form).
Those beneficiaries in the first batch on board buses commissioned by the Department of Transportation, were given Php 5,000 cash assistance as transportation allowance by the DSWD. They would also receive food packs upon arrival, and assessed for additional Php 15,000 livelihood support if qualified.
