A total of 13 families or 46 individuals received transitory family support packages amounting to PHP 548,000.00 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under Balik-Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) program last May 18, 2021 at Baao Community College, Baao, Camarines Sur.

The transitory family support package ranging from PHP10,000.00 to PHP70,000.00 covers the food and non-food items needed while the families are in the transition phase.

52 Family Food Packs (FFPs) were also provided by the agency in which the family received four (4) FFPs each.

Ms. Rosalie M. Barizo, Regional Program Coordinator (RPC), said that the total amount of assistance and type of services may vary for each beneficiary which will be based on the results of the assessment of social workers of DSWD National Program and Management Office (NPMO).

“The beneficiaries were identified and assessed based on the generated list of applicants using the registration system established by the NHA,” she said.

RPC Barizo also shared that the beneficiaries will undergo further assessment through case management of LSWDOs to ensure that long-term intervention will be given for these families.

HOPES OF A BP2 BENEFICIARY

Regine Visto, 23, a beneficiary of the program said her family found it difficult living in National Capital Region (NCR) due to low source of income brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Gusto namin na yung ibinibigay na tulong ay mapalago para sa mga anak namin. Nag-apply kami para makapanimula ng bagong buhay,” she shared. (We want that the assistance provided to us will be fruitful for our children. We applied for this program to start a new life.)

She also added they will ensure that the assistance provided will be put to good use.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The BP2 program is one of the support measures to decongest urban poor communities. It also aims to provide opportunities to families from urban areas who are affected by the pandemic, displaced workers or susceptible to health and safety risks and other environmental hazards.

The department provides various types of services such as transportation assistance and livelihood assistance for individual recipients.

For family beneficiaries, the agency offers transportation assistance, transitory family support package, livelihood settlement grants, transitory shelter assistance, and/or psycho-social support while community grants for municipalities with more than 25 family beneficiaries.