(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 27 March 2024) Easterlies affecting the eastern section of the country. Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies / Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.


Tuesday, June 11, 2019


23 former rebels get E-CLIP package of assistance

By Nora L. Molde


BUTUAN CITY, June 11 (PIA) -- Twenty-three former rebels (FRs) received financial assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) during a special provincial peace and order council (PPOC) meeting of Agusan del Norte held Monday, here.

Agusan del Norte governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba led the distribution of the E-Clip package of assistance to the FRs together with governor-elect Dale Corvera and members of the PPOC.

Governor Matba encouraged the FRs to help the government in the peace efforts in their respective communities. Matba even promise to assist them in the education of their children. Every elementary pupil of the FRs will receive P2,000 while the high school students will also receive P6,000 each.

A total of P2,633,000 was distributed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Agusan del Norte for E-CLIP assistance and P105,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Financial Assistance for the 23 FRs who decided to abandon the armed struggle.

According to alyas “Jakar,” 25 years old and who has been a former member of the rebel group for three years prior to his return to the government, life in the hands of the rebels has no direction. "We keep on fighting for no cause and are being promised to have a good life. Now that I am with the government, being taken care of by the loving people of the 23 Infantry Battalion (23 IB), Philippine Army, I can definitely start a new life and live peacefully without fighting,” Jakar said.

The 23 beneficiaries can start their lives through the government’s local integration program. A firearms remuneration for the 18 FRs worth P1,353,000 was also given.

On June 6, the beneficiaries attended the 3-day financial management seminar –workshop conducted by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Philippine Army.

The 23 FRs are composed of four FRs who voluntarily surrendered to 29IB, 13 FRs to 23IB, and six to the Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, during the PPOC meeting, governor Matba turned over the PPOC chairmanship to Dale Corvera, the newly elected governor of the province. Outgoing governor Matba who is also the newly elected representative of the 1st District of this province was also given tribute by the PPOC members. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)