Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles led the gathering last Friday of the Caraga Special Committee on the “Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-asa” program together with members of the Regional Development Council, stressing that “now is the time to realize the full potential of our provinces as economic centers and alternatives to established urban economic hubs.”
Nograles chairs the Special Committee and is the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for the CARAGA region.
“The tourism component, for instance, has been stalled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but we are fully boosting trade, transport and investments in Caraga.”
The Balik Probinsiya Bagong Pag-asa program took effect when President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 114 last May 6, 2020.
The initiative aims to decongest urban areas such as Metro Manila and Metro Cebu by encouraging residents originally from the provinces and less developed areas to “return home” by giving them direct assistance to resettle and by providing housing, livelihood as well as aid in costs of living and education.
“Offering financial incentives to return to one’s hometown is one thing, but we are also drawing up more holistic and comprehensive plans to reignite economic activity in rural areas. Jobs and better economic opportunities are important because these are the reasons people leave in the first place,” Nograles stressed.
The former legislator further emphasized that: “This northeastern area of Mindanao shows a lot of potentials, which we have actually been developing. The tourism component, for instance, has been stalled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but we are fully boosting trade, transport, and investments in Caraga.”
“Our objective in the special committee is to create an environment where Balik Probinsiya could truly be an alternative employment and long-term living option for those who have previously relocated to urban cities but now want to return to their home provinces to start anew.”
Nograles emphasized that the committee is again in the process of reinvigoration, prompted by his proposals as Chair, and with increased collective realization of the urgency in implementing concrete programs because of the health crisis which has affected even urban areas.
The former legislator from Davao likewise cited the shared leadership with Caraga Governor Dale Corvera as key to the RDC’s active push for more programs and activities.
“Gov. Dale serves as our co-chair of the RDC. He is a fellow Mindanaoan who knows the issues and challenges on the ground first hand and we both coordinate well within the Council.”
“Our objective in the special committee is to create an environment where Balik Probinsiya could truly be an alternative employment and long-term living option for those who have previously relocated to urban cities but now want to return to their home provinces to start anew,” Nograles emphasized.