Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said “sustainable development” is feasible in the countryside under the government’s “Balik Probinsiya” Program.
The decentralization of the National Capital Region (NCR) and eventual migration of workforce back to the countryside will decongest Metro Manila since “development is not sustainable,” according to Andanar, who met with members of the Pampanga media at the office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on Saturday morning.
Andanar met with former Pampanga Press Club (PPC) President Deng Pangilinan and KBP-Pampanga President Benny Guinto. Also present were Lincoln Baluyut of The Voice, Cris Navarro of Sun Star and iOrbitNews Editor Arnel San Pedro, who thanked Andanar for the 2-week Media Exchange in Beijing, China last year.
Filipinos working or staying in Manila may return to their respective provinces under the President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 114 or the “Balik Probinsiya, Balik Pagasa” Program.
Balik Probinsiya Program seeks to assists those who are willing to move back to their home provinces to allieviate their way of living.
“This would be a game changer,” said Andanar referring to the “Balik Probinsiya Program.
Andanar visited Pampanga mediamen to extend their assistance amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He donated a small sack of rice to each Pampanga mediamen.
Andanar said the Filipino working mediamen were one of the hard-hit members of the society noting that some media outlets are now downsizing because of massive losses.
“Every week kami ay umiikot for a good cause para matulungan din ang mga kabaro (mediamen),” said Andanar.