TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines —The Eastern Samar provincial government will encourage former residents who failed to find better lives in Metro Manila and other urban areas to return to the province.

In an interview here Sunday night, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said they have decided to launch this week the back-to-the-province program in response to the flooding that hit Luzon caused by tropical storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” and to address the overpopulation in urban areas.

Evardone said that under the program, the provincial government would provide bus transportation for all members of the family and then provide livelihood and entrepreneurial trainings to family members through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

After the trainings, the Diocese of Borongan would conduct a value formation seminar for the beneficiaries, he said.

Upon undergoing trainings and seminars, the beneficiaries would be provided by the provincial government P10,000 in cash each, as a startup capital for livelihood, and P20,000 to be used for the purchase of housing materials like nipa shingles and bamboos and some agricultural inputs, Evardone said.

The relocated families’ children would also be sent to college under a scholarship program at a local state university, he added.

“Their family would not go hungry if they only become industrious because we have a lot of agricultural resources (in the province),” Evardone said.

He said the province would try to tie up with national government agencies, especially those with micro-financing programs.

Meanwhile, Evardone said that the provincial government's fund drive to help the typhoon victims generated P100,000 from the provincial government and P30,000 from the Philippine National Police, which were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Evardone added he would donate his one-month salary while each department head and assistant department head in the provincial government has agreed to give P1,000 and each employee would also donate P100.

Evardone said they would continue to mobilize all sectors in society, including professional groups and the diocese, to help in the drive to help the storm victims.