Palace also announces “Hatid Estudyante Program” to help stranded students
(Eagle Newa) — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Executive Order No. 114 or the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program” that will help Filipinos in various parts of the country to be able to go back to their home provinces during the quarantine period
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque, Jr., said that the Philippine government will now implement this by the giving of financial as well as non-cash assistance, and transportation to these citizens — young and old alike.
“Ibig sabihin, yung polisiya na pinangungunahan ni Senator Bong Go ay pinapatupad na ngayon po sa executive branch of government,” Roque said in his virtual media briefing on May 7.
-Financial, non-cash assistance, transportation to be provided-
He said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be giving “financial and non-cash assistance” to Filipinos who would want to go back home to their provinces.
“Sa immediate term po, magbibigay po ng financial and non-cash assistance ang DSWD para dun sa gusto ng umuwi. At ang napag-alaman ko po, na dalawang probinsya na ang tatanggap ng mga babalik probinsya, ang probinsya ng Leyte at probinsya ng Camarines Sur,” Roque said.
He said that for those who will be going back to the provinces under the Balik Probinsya Program, transportation will be provided by the Department of Transportation, while the staging area will be at the National Housing Authority (NHA), since the general manager of the NHA will be the executive director of the Balik Probinsya Program.
Malacanang said that for the long-term, there will be policy shifts, and that “new ecozones will be created in provinces, among other measures that will ensure balanced regional development.”
-Balik Probinsya Council-
The Palace also announced that it will establish a “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Council” to be headed by the Executive Secretary, and assisted by the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority as vice-chair.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will be doing the coordination for the program, while the Department of Health will be required to test for COVID-19 those who will be going back to the provinces.
“Ang Secretariat po ay ang NHA, si GM po ang ating kumbaga, chief enforcer nito. Ang mga bus ay will be provided by DOTr and the coordination will be done by DILG. And of course Department of Health will also contribute dahil kinakailangan masunod yung testing protocols bago sila makauwi,” Roque said.
In relation to this, stranded students who were prevented from going to their hometowns and provinces because of the enhanced community quarantine measures in Metro Manila and Luzon will now be assisted by the government.
-PHL gov’t to help stranded students to go home-
Roque said that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) had approved a resolution for the program called “Hatid Estudyante Program.”
“Nagkaroon din po ng resolusyon na inaatasan ang DILG na tumulong po sa DOTr doon sa pagko-coordinate ng isang programa na tinatawag na ‘Hatid Estudyante Program’. Itong programa pong ito ay mag-uuwi sa mga stranded na estudyante sa kani-kanilang mga probinsiya,” he said.
On why the Balik Probinsya program is being started now during the COVID-19 pandemic, the President’s spokesman said that it is being done to assist those who have expressed interest to move back to their home provinces to alleviate their way of living.
“Alam nyo po kasi, habang mahirap ang buhay sa Metro Manila, marami talagang gustong umuwi na sa kanilang mga probinsya. So ginagawan naman po ng paraan na yung talagang iba na nais ng bumalik sa kanilang mga probinsya ay makabalik na,” Roque said.
However, he clarified that quarantine protocols will have to be followed in the movement of people from Metro Manila to the provinces. “Ito naman po ay panimula pa lamang, kinakailangan mag comply pa rin sa mga quarantine protocols dail ayaw naman nating kumalat ang COVID sa mga probinsya,” stressed Roque.
(Eagle News Service)
