CEBU CITY – The 41 individuals who arrived in Cebu and Bohol from Metro Manila after availing of the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” Program (BP2P) are now undergoing reintegration in their respective communities, a social welfare official said on Wednesday.

Rebecca Geamala, DSWD-7 regional director, said these individuals availed of the program that aims to decongest urban poor communities by sending families back to their home provinces.

They arrived in Cebu and Bohol on Tuesday last week, she said.

She said after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, vulnerable families are still not able to cope with the ill effects of the public health crisis, worsening their situations with loss of income, unstable livelihood opportunities, and risk of getting infected.

“The returned families are part of the second batch of returnees from last year’s dispatch from Manila,” Geamala said.

She said the reintegration program has been hatched through a partnership of the DSWD-7, local government units, Department of Agriculture (DA), and the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Representatives of the NHA-7, DA-7, together with DSWD field office personnel, welcomed the families on their homecoming before their final send-off to their communities in Cebu City, Bogo City, and Tabuelan.

“DSWD’s help from case management to send-off, transitory cash assistance to help them in their transition, and livelihood grants for start-up capital will also be given to the returned families,” she said.

Returned families also received agribusiness kits from the DA-7 to help them cope with their daily sustenance while starting their lives anew in their hometowns.

The kits will also ensure their food security and agricultural productivity as part of the reintegration process in coming back to their community.

The municipality of Tabuelan offered training for the returnees under the Center for Health and Wellness.

By the end of 2022, the BP2P is expected to provide support to a total of 200 families from Central Visayas. (PNA)