THE BALIK Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program served 133 families of the 235 target as of Aug. 17 this year, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD XI) showed.
Lee Mecris Berdos, DSWD XI BP2 focal person, said the 102 remaining families are scheduled for October 2023 but this could still change due to a spending ban set by the Commission on Elections.
Under the BP2, each eligible beneficiary will receive a Transitory Family Support Package (TFSP)- one-shot cash assistance of P50,000 for food and non-food items for three months, Livelihood Settlement Grants- a business start-up financial assistance of P50,000 for establishment or sustenance of economic activities, and the Transitory Shelter Assistance for house construction.
All of the 133 families received TFSP amounting to a maximum of P6.57 million. Some 122 families benefited from the LSG which totaled P6.1 million, while the 92 beneficiaries chose permanent shelter in the province.
The 235 eligible families identified come from various cities and municipalities in the region. Davao de Oro has enlisted 81, Davao Oriental (45), Davao del Norte (43), Davao del Sur (35) and Davao Occidental (31).
Apart from the package grants, BP2 has granted Community grant support for sub-projects amounting to P7.5 million to one city and four municipalities with at least 20 returned families for this year. The recipients were Mati City and Municipality of Tarragona from Davao Oriental, Mawab of Davao de Oro, Kapalong of Davao del Norte, and Municipality of Magsaysay of Davao del Sur.
Since 2021, 225 (44%) out of 502 families received complete packages of TFSP, LSG, and TSA.
Berdos said that the family beneficiaries have to be assessed for eligibility and to be recommended by their local government unit before availing one of the packages. If they fail the assessment set, it is still possible for them to receive a complete set of the three packages.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier affirmed the commitment of the department to continue the program.
“This is a very good program that we inherited, that we planned to keep and, in fact, use all the time,” Gatchalian said.
“For the record, ang na-serve natin ho for 2023 is 2,426 out of the target na 4,572 families. Ang financial allocation n’ya is P3.5 billion thereabouts, at ang nagamit ho is P1 billion or 29%,” Gatchalian said,” he added.
Institutionalized through Executive Order No. 114 on May 6, 2020, BP2 program is implemented to decongest urban poor communities in the country during the high incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic and to achieve “balanced regional development.”
