Cordillera agencies set Balik Probinsya Program for folks

By Marlo Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – Agriculture Sec. William Dar urged creation of a technical working group to consolidate regional agency initiatives under Balik Probinsya Program to returning folks affected by Covid-19 
    Dar, as BP2 CAR committee chairman, urged the National Economic Development Authority- Cordillera, as secretariat of the committee to convene regional line agencies for a full-day blended face-to-face and online workshop to create the Cordillera BP2 action plan and implementation guidelines.
    Agencies set short-term, medium-term, and long-term target programs, projects, and activities to achieve the goals of BP2.
Regional Development Council Vice-Chair and NEDA regional director Milagros Rimando said while BP2 was brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, its essence of countryside development has been the advocacy of national and regional development plans.
    Initial data as of Nov. 21 ared 507 applicants from Metro Manila have decided to come back to the region. 
    The Cordillera BP2 committee earlier agreed that Baguio and Benguet will serve as the pilot areas for implementation in Cordillera.
    About 44 percent of applicants said they preferred to learn new skills in agriculture and agri-business once they come back to their hometowns and provinces.
    Rimando noted preference of returnees to focus on farming was indication of the importance of agriculture in the regional economy. 
    About 45 percenrt percent of applicants expressed desire in learning service-oriented skills in BPOs, online jobs, security and utility, transportation, food & bars, and wellness. 
    The services sector is the second most productive and second highest employer in the region.
    With the pandemic adversely affecting the tourism and education sectors, among other industries in the region, workers with diversified skills will increase resilience of the services sector.
    OIC NEDA Assistant Regional Director Stephanie Christiansen said the BP2 initiative was a chance for local government units to implement their local spatial strategies and comprehensive land use plans to spur development of their identified growth centers.
    With this national initiative to pursue regional development, Christiansen recognized the opportunity for rural municipalities to take advantage of programs to promote their planned growth centers, and support socio-economic development outside highly-urbanized centers like Metro Manila and Baguio City.