Nine families compose the new batch of beneficiaries of the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2)” program, which helps distressed families in Metro Manila return to the provinces armed with livelihood and financial packages.

A total of 37 persons will go home to Masbate on Tuesday morning, the third batch of dispatch this year.

Among the beneficiaries are two senior citizens and 18 minors, aged 8 months to 14 years.

Vanessa Pedroza, 36, applied for the BP2 program in October last year and nearly lost hope that they will be included.

“Umuwi ako sa kapatid ko noon sa Rizal nung biglang may tumawag sa akin na taga-Balik Probinsya. Tuwang tuwa bumalik agad ako dito sa Quezon City para sabihin ko sa asawa ko at pag-usapan namin (I went to my sister in Rizal when somebody from Balik Probinsya called me and so I immediately went back here to Quezon City to tell my husband so we could talk about it),” she told the Philippine News Agency on Monday.

“Salamat talaga sa BP2 (Thank you so much to the BP2 program),” she added.

The surge in coronavirus disease 2019 cases in January halted the dispatch of beneficiaries.

The program resumed this month with beneficiaries returning to the Bicol Region — Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Naga.

For March, the BP2 program still has scheduled dispatches to Zambales, Cotabato, General Santos, Saranggani, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. (PNA)