Gov’t affirms support for ‘Balik-Probinsya’ program

Government agencies have started to draw up measures in support of Sen. Bong Go’s proposed “Balik-Probinsya” program that aims to redistribute people and growth to the countryside and ease congestion in Metro Manila.

Go stressed the need to speed up development of the countryside by veering away from a centralized approach to governance. Congestion in Metro Manila proved to be a significant factor in the high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in urban areas.

Citing latest data from the Department of Health, he said almost 70 percent of COVID-19 infection cases are from the National Capital Region.

“Congestion or overcrowding in Metro Manila was a big factor in the swift spread of COVID-19. Experts warned there will more more global pandemics in the future so we need a more proactive and long-term solution so we can be prepared,” the senator said yesterday.

Several officials from the executive branch expressed support for Go’s proposal.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it aims to provide more incentives for businesses that will be put up in provinces to encourage more people to return there because of increased job opportunities.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said “we will give more incentives to those (businesses) going to the provinces instead of locating in Metro Manila.”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be preparing to adopt the community-driven development approach in designing its own initiatives to support the Balik-Probinsya program.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said the grant of incentives to businesses may be revisited since the present system gives the same benefits regardless of the location of a business in the country.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Chua said the passage of Senate Bill 1357 or the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act will reinforce the Balik Probinsya program where more incentives will be given to businesses in the provinces.

Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said the program can be a long term solution to congestion problems in the capital.

“If this happens, we will encourage LGUs (local government units) to, as early as now, think of ways to address the people coming back from Metro Manila,” he said in a statement in Filipino.

However, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Public Affairs Committee executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said in order for the Balik-Probinsya program to work, the receiving provinces should be able to provide jobs and education to those who would be relocated in their areas.

“The Balik-Probinsiya program is good to a certain extent but it necessitates developing our provinces too to be able to meet the need for jobs, livelihood and education of those to be relocated,” said Secillano.