Six families consisting of 20 individuals in Davao del Norte are currently benefiting the assistance benefits provided for by the government thru the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa Program.
Guesting in the One Davao Virtual Presser, Davao del Norte Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator and BP2P Davao del Norte Team Leader Nelson Plata announced that these relocatees were welcomed in Davao del Norte last April and were assisted as they settled back in their original locality which are Sto. Tomas, Asuncion, Tagum City, and Panabo City.
Plata explained that these individuals first expressed their intent to relocate in Davao del Norte from Metro Manila. A screening process was conducted by the National Housing Authority (NHA) which was later vetted and re-assessed by the welcoming local government.
“We limited the beneficiaries among those who have a home or who have relatives where they can live with when they settle back in the province,” Plata explained. Due to the pending housing program which forms part in the BP2P package, this was initially established by the Davao del Norte LGU.
However, he clarified that infrastructure projects that are planned and approved to support the BP2 Program are on the works and will directly benefit the relocatees when completed.
As initial assistance benefits, the six families received cash benefits from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as their seed money for livelihood. Each family received P30,000 and another P6,000 from the TUPAD program.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided a cash assistance for transitory family support.
The Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) then provided to each of the beneficiaries skills and livelihood training as well as availment of scholarship grant.
Entrepreneurship consultancy and business registration were offered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The Provincial Government of Davao del Norte complemented this national program with the enrolment of the beneficiaries to the LGU’s KAAGAPAY program or Kawsa sa Agrikultura ug Panginabuhian sa Barangay where they received seedlings of vegetables, rice, cacao, and other crops. The beneficiaries also get to practice livestock farming.
Plata explained that the whole of government approach is applied in this program as it would be difficult for the PLGU alone to embrace and implement BP2P.
He said the different national government agencies and the allocation of projects to this program play an important role to roll-out and successfully assist Filipinos wanting to leave Metro Manila and settle in the province.
The provincial government announced that another batch of relocatees are expected to arrive on June 16 to 17, 2021. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)
