DILG corrects Gabriela's claims on Balik Probinsya program
Published May 30, 2020 12:00 am
By Chito Chavez
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday, May 30, slammed partylist group Gabriela for its critical stance against the government’s “Balik Probinsiya’’ program.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya
(DILG 10 via PIA / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya claimed that Gabriela erroneously premised its attack on the “Balik Probinsiya’’ program on the recent report that two people repatriated recently to Leyte province by the government were found positive with COVID-19. He said the leftist group claimed the two were among those repatriated by the government under Balik Probinsiya. Instead of spreading erroneous reports, the DILG called on Gabriela and their allied leftist groups “to just help the government in fighting the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and addressing hardships the crisis caused on many Filipinos.” Malaya said that Gabriela made a basic error in criticizing Balik Probinsiya when it failed to distinguish the Balik Probinsiya program from another government program, “Hatid Probinsiya.” He explained that “Hatid Probinsiya’’ is a humanitarian program meant to repatriate thousands of people stranded in Metro Manila by the pandemic. “By attacking the Balik Probinsiya program, Gabriela showed that its true agenda was never the truth but merely to nitpick and to discredit the government at every possible opportunity,” Malaya said. In truth, Malaya said that the Balik Probinsiya program is a long-term government program designed to help low income families in Metro Manila resettle in their home provinces, especially those who live in highly populated informal settlement areas. Contrary to Gabriela’s claims, Malaya said the “Balik Probinsiya’’ program was never just about relocating low-income families to the provinces. “The Balik Probinsiya program is the government’s long-term response to the COVID-19 pandemic which intends to provide means of livelihood and accessible healthcare programs to those who chose to relocate to the provinces. This is not a quick fix as Gabriela claims but a long-term solution to provide healthcare and job opportunities in rural areas,” he added. Malaya clarified that Hatid Probinsiya helps stranded people while Balik Probinsiya is a long-term program to make low income families relocate to better lives in their home provinces. He noted that the government has prescribed strict health protocols to the home provinces when they welcome returning residents such as testing protocols and immediate quarantine or isolation in a separate facility, if needed. “The receiving LGUs can impose additional health protocols to the Hatid Probinsiya beneficiaries so there are safety protocols in place in the receiving provinces,” Malaya said. “Hatid Probinsiya has many components: Hatid OFW sa Probinsya under OWWA, Hatid Estudyante sa Probinsiya under DOTR, Hatid Turista sa Probinsya under DOT, and Other Stranded Individuals under the LGUs and PNP,’’ the DILG explained. Malaya said the government designed the Hatid Probinsiya program for those stranded when the quarantine started in Luzon and elsewhere in mid-March. He noted that also Hatid Probinsiya helps thousands of stranded people including displaced overseas Filipino workers, students, travelers, and simple tourists who could not return to their provinces because of the strict quarantine rules all over, Malaya said. “Balik Probinsiya, on the other hand, will provide these poor families with livelihood, housing, access to educational and health facilities near their residences, and probably even land for agricultural development. So, how can it cause more economic problems for these families?” Malaya asked. “Definitely, the government correctly responded to these stranded people’s situation and Gabriela can help our country more if they stop their senseless attacks on the government and just help our suffering people deal with the crisis,” Malaya concluded.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya(DILG 10 via PIA / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya claimed that Gabriela erroneously premised its attack on the “Balik Probinsiya’’ program on the recent report that two people repatriated recently to Leyte province by the government were found positive with COVID-19. He said the leftist group claimed the two were among those repatriated by the government under Balik Probinsiya. Instead of spreading erroneous reports, the DILG called on Gabriela and their allied leftist groups “to just help the government in fighting the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and addressing hardships the crisis caused on many Filipinos.” Malaya said that Gabriela made a basic error in criticizing Balik Probinsiya when it failed to distinguish the Balik Probinsiya program from another government program, “Hatid Probinsiya.” He explained that “Hatid Probinsiya’’ is a humanitarian program meant to repatriate thousands of people stranded in Metro Manila by the pandemic. “By attacking the Balik Probinsiya program, Gabriela showed that its true agenda was never the truth but merely to nitpick and to discredit the government at every possible opportunity,” Malaya said. In truth, Malaya said that the Balik Probinsiya program is a long-term government program designed to help low income families in Metro Manila resettle in their home provinces, especially those who live in highly populated informal settlement areas. Contrary to Gabriela’s claims, Malaya said the “Balik Probinsiya’’ program was never just about relocating low-income families to the provinces. “The Balik Probinsiya program is the government’s long-term response to the COVID-19 pandemic which intends to provide means of livelihood and accessible healthcare programs to those who chose to relocate to the provinces. This is not a quick fix as Gabriela claims but a long-term solution to provide healthcare and job opportunities in rural areas,” he added. Malaya clarified that Hatid Probinsiya helps stranded people while Balik Probinsiya is a long-term program to make low income families relocate to better lives in their home provinces. He noted that the government has prescribed strict health protocols to the home provinces when they welcome returning residents such as testing protocols and immediate quarantine or isolation in a separate facility, if needed. “The receiving LGUs can impose additional health protocols to the Hatid Probinsiya beneficiaries so there are safety protocols in place in the receiving provinces,” Malaya said. “Hatid Probinsiya has many components: Hatid OFW sa Probinsya under OWWA, Hatid Estudyante sa Probinsiya under DOTR, Hatid Turista sa Probinsya under DOT, and Other Stranded Individuals under the LGUs and PNP,’’ the DILG explained. Malaya said the government designed the Hatid Probinsiya program for those stranded when the quarantine started in Luzon and elsewhere in mid-March. He noted that also Hatid Probinsiya helps thousands of stranded people including displaced overseas Filipino workers, students, travelers, and simple tourists who could not return to their provinces because of the strict quarantine rules all over, Malaya said. “Balik Probinsiya, on the other hand, will provide these poor families with livelihood, housing, access to educational and health facilities near their residences, and probably even land for agricultural development. So, how can it cause more economic problems for these families?” Malaya asked. “Definitely, the government correctly responded to these stranded people’s situation and Gabriela can help our country more if they stop their senseless attacks on the government and just help our suffering people deal with the crisis,” Malaya concluded.