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)
