The Balik Probinsya program was originally proposed by Senator Bong Go who touted the program as a platform to give a "fresh start" to people after the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing a series of programs to help develop the quality of life in the rural areas, in effect decongesting the densely populated areas of the country such as Metro Manila by encouraging people to move to the countryside once COVID-19-related quarantine measures imposed across the country are lifted. Go has proposed if Metro Manila had a lower population density, the government would be better equipped in dealing with future health emergencies. President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order No. 114 on May 6 which took effect immediately institutionalizing the Balik Probinsya program. An inter-agency council was also established to formulate the framework of the program within 30 days. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was appointed to lead the council. The implementation of the program was suspended on June 11, to give more focus on aiding non-Metro Manila residents get back to their home provinces and cities under the separate Hatid Tulong program.
Council
President Duterte's executive order, created the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Council which is tasked to create a framework for national government's implementation of the Balik Probinsya program. The composition of the council as follows:
The National Housing Authority says that around 10,000 people has expressed interest to avail of the program within the first two or three days the Balik Probinsya program was launched on May 6. Among the top ten provinces the applicants wanted to move to are Camarines Sur, Bohol, Leyte, and Samar. The NHA has pledged to provide available houses to beneficiaries of the program and their voter registration would be adjust accordingly by the Commission on Elections.
Controversies
The Gabriela Women's Party has criticized the Balik Probinsya program saying they have warned President Duterte on the implementation of the program in early May 2020 saying it could create a "wave" of new COVID-19 cases amidst the pandemic situation citing two alleged Balik Probinsya beneficiaries in Leyte testing positive for the disease. They also believe the program as proof of the government's preference for temporary relief for problems over long-term solutions and the program will bring more socioeconomic problems in the countryside. However the Department of Interior and Local Government belied Gabriela's claim saying that the two Leyte cases involved beneficiaries of a separate program, Hatid Probinsya which aims to help non-residents stranded in Metro Manila to return to their home provinces and insists that the Balik Probinsya program is a long-term solution which seeks to provide a platform for low-income families in urban areas to move to their home provinces while implementing relevant livelihood and infrastructure programs in the rural areas of the country.
