DAVAO DEL NORTE (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI Regional Director, Atty. Vanessa Goc-ong on Wednesday afternoon (July 13) lauded the provincial government of Davao del Norte for braving its way as the pilot area of implementing the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa Program (BP2P) at the height of the pandemic.
Addressing the BP2P Symbolic Turnover and Acceptance rites held in Davao City, Atty Goc-ong recalled that it was only Davao del Norte which accepted in March 2021 returning families from highly urbanized areas where high number of COVID-19 cases were recorded causing losses of livelihood and jobs.
“Kaniadto Davao del Norte ra jud ang nidawat. Dako kaayo ang among pasalamat sa Davao del Norte tungod sa dakong suporta sa Davao del Norte (In the past Davao del Norte was the only one who accepted. We thanked Davao del Norte for the huge support),” she said.
Atty. Goc-ong explained that BP2P was institutionalized through Executive Order No. 114 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on May 06, 2020 aimed at giving beneficiaries “who decided to settle at their original hometown or in other resettlement areas, a wide array of opportunities for an improved quality of life.”
Davao del Norte received six principal families with a total of 19 individuals who arrived in the province on March 19, 2021. They were among the 73 families initially served by DSWD in 2021 under the BP2P at its early stage of implementation.
DSWD already provided the six families with a total of P505,500 BP2P packages which covered Emergency Cash Assistance, Transitory Family Support Package, SLP Employment Facilitation, and Transitory Shelter Assistance.
Based on records provided by DSWD XI, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided P186,000 consisting of TUPAD Cash for Work and Livelihood Grant.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) XI, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the National Housing Authority (NHA) also extended their respective assistance to the six returning BP2P families.
In a separate press conference, Davao del Norte Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Department Head Nelson Plata, who also heads the Davao del Norte BP2P Technical Working Group (TWG), said that the Department of Agriculture funneled P1 million to Davao del Norte for BP2P coursed through the KAAAGAPAY (Kawsa Alang sa Panginabuhian sa Barangay) Program of the provincial government.
The six families are now living a much comfortable life in the municipalities of Sto Tomas and Asuncion and in the cities of Tagum and Panabo. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
