The Department of Social Welfare and Development will implement a PHP7.5 million project in the municipality of Pavia, Iloilo under its Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa program. The implementation of the project was agreed upon among the representatives of the Regional Project Management Office of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) led by Community Development Officer 4 Elizabeth Ferraris and Mayor Laurence Anthony Gorriceta in last Monday’s meeting.

The meeting was also attended by the different heads of office of the municipality which are vital in the implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS-funded projects. Gorriceta has requested the Sangguniang Bayan for the passage of a resolution allowing him to enter into a memorandum of agreement with DSWD as part of the prerequisites before the implementation commenced. “We are happy that we will be given a PHP7.5 million grant,” said Gorriceta. The PH7.5 million is an incentive grant given to municipalities with 20 or more returning families under the Balik Probinsya program.

Based on DSWD’s data, Pavia has 29 returning families. The government has already provided them with support packages amounting to more than PHP2.5 million. The returning families received a maximum of PHP50,000 livelihood settlement grant and a transitory family support package of up to PHP50,000 to cover food and non-food items, including clothes, school supplies, hygiene kits, and other essentials. The provision of the transitory family support package depends on the assessment of the local social worker.

The government’s Balik Probinsya Program aims to boost countryside development and provide a better future for Filipinos by encouraging Metro Manila’s urban poor to return to their home province. Gorriceta said they will comply with the requirements of the program. He deemed the future engagement with DSWD as advantageous to the Paviahons. “Previous KALAHI-CIDSS funded projects are proven beneficial to our constituents.”

The mayor assured that they will also adhere to the Program’s prioritization method in funding the different subprojects. “We have done that before.” The communities will be the ones to identify their pressing needs and subject them to prioritization. The prioritized projects will be then funded by the Program.