NHA suspends Balik Probinsya program

National Housing Authority (NHA) general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said his agency has temporarily suspended the Balik Probinsya program to allow the Hatid Tulong program to finish bringing locally stranded individuals home. 

Escalada said the program will resume by July or as soon as the public transportation system starts to normalize in Metro Manila, which is still under general community quarantine (GCQ).

 

“We’ve suspended the roll outs for Balik Probinsya to give way … unahing pauwiin ang mga kababayan na stranded (we will first bring home stranded countrymen) like OFWs [overseas Filipino workers], construction workers, tourists and students,” Escalada said.   

 

He also asked the public to distinguish between the Balik Probinsya and Hatid Tulong programs.

 

Escalada explained that Balik Probinsya is a long-term program which aims to send some people in Metro Manila back to their home provinces for good, while Hatid Tulong is an effort of the government to transport individuals who were stranded when the metropolis was placed under community quarantine. 

 

Some locally stranded individuals temporarily stayed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after their flights were cancelled since changes in the health protocols of their home provinces under community quarantine prevented their return. 

 

Escalada said that they hope to send back all stranded individuals before the end of June.