Balik Probinsya to go full blast this year
MANILA – Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the government’s program encouraging Metro Manila residents to return to their respective provinces known as Balik-Probinsya will go full blast this year.
Speaking at a virtual press conference hosted by Asst. Secretary Jayvee Arcena Tuesday morning, Secretary Nograles said Executive Order No. 114 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last May 6,2020 institutionalizing the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program will be implemented fully this year.
“There’s a task force in charge of the Balik Probinsya program formulating the action plans,” Secretary Nograles said. He explained the task force members representing different government departments will discuss the budgetary requirements in fulfillment of their mandates.
He added the task force will use the synergy as the COVID-19 “underscores the need for strategic task forces” to synchronize their efforts as President Duterte ordered the breaking of silos through task forces where coordination has been quite successful.
“We use the whole-of-government approach in programs like this,” he further said. He, however, declined to disclose the number of beneficiaries who have opted to return to their home provinces.
Last year, the program was criticized for sending Metro Manila residents to their hometowns at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were local government officials who said they didn’t have COVID-19 cases until the Balik Probinsya program was implemented. (Melo M. Acuña)
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