"Still hopeless for the Poor folks in the Provinces"
(Or: "Will their return to their provinces under the present order
a glimmer of hope or a continuous despair?")
What a shallow idea this so-called "return to the province" program that's brought about by the Duterte regime.
For regardless of the presidential blessing and the support of administration-led local officials, claiming as one of the pillars for balanced development in the far-flung regions, this program cannot succeed so long as the fundamental problems of the nation affecting the poor continues to remain unresolved particularly those of agrarian reform, national industrialisation, and a genuine national social policy.
And contrary to mainline view that this program as "new", this program brought by Duterte and Senator Bong Go, through Senate Resolution 380 and Executive Order 114 is all but a rehash of earlier programs like the "Balik Barangay" program of Marcos as well as other similar programs sharing the same intent of decongesting Metropolitan Manila and other urban centers in the country. On the other side, this is one, if not the only solution that's thinking of to reduce poverty, lack of employment, and housing for the urban poor.
What a usual solution isn't it? Just as in the past, that by simply sending off the poor and fending for themselves or with minimum doleouts is the order's way of promoting development in the countryside. But despite this intent, that simple resolution brought by an administration senator isn't enough without a rigorous, scientific, and comprehensive study as well as without any consultation with stakeholders all prior to its implementation. What more that this program, aiming to have millions of urban poor folks to "return to the province" by the order is simply driven by the difficulties in providing financial support what more of controlling population especially in this COVID19 pandemic.
Apologists of the program would of course, agree to this kind of proposition given by President Duterte and Senator Go; that aside from these men are themselves coming from Davao (and therefore seeing a massive human resettlement program fit for their agenda) they think that by returning these poor folks to the provinces meant chances of restoring order in the urban while promoting development in the countryside, all despite unresolved social problems including those of COVID19.
But remember, so long as development remains less for the folk and more for the few then this kind of program, with a vision to make everyone live decently if not comfortably with their livelihood cannot guarantee. This program isn't just a simple walk in the park praising the glories of farming and rural life, but rather a forced return to "what they belong" such as facing hunger, poverty, and fear under the order; while existing problems such as landlessness, forced displacement of poor farmers and indigenous folks alike from their domains, along with "combination of backward modes of agriculture and low level industry" doesn't resolve the fundamental problem- but instead showing how this anti-poor, fund-wasting "Balik Probinsya" as a propaganda feat.
Speaking of funds and the delusions of development, Duterte and Go would of course claiming that the program isn't about relocating these poor folks alone. Of course there will be loans and assistance to those who will avail of that said program, what more that government agencies like the National Housing Authority, the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and others will "flex their muscle" in showing these poor folks that the program is better than seeking for financial assistance especially in this time of pandemic crisis with officials trying to take pride in housing programs for the homeless, job fairs for displaced workers, or farm lots for wanting to be farmers all in exchange for resettlement in the provinces. Worse, to hear recent statements like DoLE's Bello who admitted that there are no remaining funds for the "Displaced Workers Program" therefore they have to stop issuing applications to workers who are in dire need of financial assistance.
All in all, this program will always be on the side of the order rather than the poor folks who supposed to avail of it. That alongside displacing them from their communities this meant favouring interest seekers especially those under the Build Build Build and other neoliberal programs benefiting their interests. With COVID19 continues to linger, this massive human resettlement plan rather meant an opportunity for the order to commence massive demolition in communities in order to flush out poor folks in the urban and even in the suburbia all for the programs this order has ventured upon with.
And that by placing poor folks in the provinces all for the sake of resettlement this meant cheap labour for multinationals, and hamletting for the defenders of the order as this program as also part of combating the insurgency by means of "winning hearts and minds". "Pacification by prosperity" indeed as one may think of as it attracts the poor away from their communities and in to the villages meant to control their movement with some semblance of development.
And to think that this program had been tried a number of times in the past and failed miserably due to mismanagements and politickings, it is unsurprising that if an interest seeking politico tends to hijack this program for their personal interest then it will always be a successful failure. In fact, there were some concerned politicians who even question the program especially the capacity of the provinces to accommodate those able to return, given the funds needed to sustain as such, what more from the people who also thinking that the program as also prone to corruption as what said earlier.
Again this program may fail given the failure to address the fundamental question of land reform and rural development through industrialisation. Interest seekers, be it politico, landlord, and compradore alike may treat it as an opportunity to consolidate their interests at the expense of the poor and its aspirations for a new hope in the countryside what more of the country's desire for development.
That from its very beginnings this measure isn't really developmentalist at all, let alone an exile. For once, it was a measure during the early years of the republic whose intent was to make rebels "return to the fold of the law" guaranteeing them with a land to till, followed by landless farmers who "were all given land and create communities" enough as a showcase of the new society.
But with all these and until this present incarnation, did it end rebellion what more of poverty? Nope as one would say. The provinces, so long under the clutches of the corrupt and of the despotic, will remain the same as it was, hopeless.