The government has temporarily held off the implementation of the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” (BP2) program to focus on the “Hatid Probinsya” program, which will send home locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Metro Manila.
LSIs are those who do not have homes in Metro Manila and insufficient financial resources to remain in the capital, notably the overseas Filipino workers, construction workers, local tourists and students.
BP2 Program Council Executive Director Marcelino Escalada Jr. said in a public briefing, “I decided as a matter of strategy na i-suspend muna ang ating rollouts for the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa to give way, to prioritize — as this was a very clear instruction from the President — unahin, pauwiin na ang ating mga kababayan na stranded dito sa Maynila (I decided as a matter of strategy to temporarily suspend the rollouts of the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa to give way, — as this was a very clear instruction from the President — to prioritize sending home our countrymen who were stranded here in Manila).”
The Hatid Probinsya program is a short-term humanitarian effort to help persons stranded in Metro Manila due to the travel restrictions imposed and the lack of public transportation brought about by the quarantines.
Escalada said the BP2 would resume in July or when transportation operations return to normal and all LSIs have been sent home.
“The Balik Probinsya program is a long-term program of the government intended for Metro Manila residents who want to return to their provinces for good,” he said. (Jojo Mangahis)