The Regional Development Council will sustain the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) with the increased funding for projects to be implemented this year.
Director Alicia Ilaga, BP2 Program and Department of Agriculture deputy spokesperson, said the agency increased the program budget allocation for the Cordillera to P6 million this year.
This will support diversified livelihood module that is relevant to the locality and integrate the beneficiaries to cooperatives and associations so they can engage in bigger agribusiness activities.
These projects intend to cater not only to the program beneficiaries but also the receiving local communities and residents.
The Department of Science and Technology programmed P28.9M for community-based project livelihood with technical trainings, which includes assistance to BP2 beneficiaries.
Other committee member-agencies also manifested their program commitment plans for the year.
National Economic and Development Authority-Cordillera Director Susan Sumbeling reported the member-agencies of the committee were able to implement 553 projects amounting to P2.6M during the second half of 2021 based on initial submissions.
Advocacy activities were also conducted through the BP2 Strategic Communications Technical Working Group.
Sumbeling said among the challenges encountered in the project implementation is the mismatch between pre-identified assistance and needs of the beneficiaries.
The DA suggested the use of the agency’s Unified Livelihood Assistance Tool to address this concern.
For this year, the committee intends to sustain its program advocacy through increased awareness activities, especially with the production of the BP2 brochure and to continue coordinating the dispatch operations.
Eight beneficiaries are targeted for dispatch for 2022.
Agriculture Usec. Leo Sebastian reiterated the need to create a demand driven atmosphere by disseminating the opportunities offered by the program that would encourage more families to avail and go back to the provinces.
A family of six returned home to Apayao with the assistance of the committee in 2021.
Sec. William Dar of the DA and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security for the Cordillera serves as the chairperson of the BP2 Committee, a support committee of the RDC created in 2020. – Press release
April 25, 2024
