Former rebel grateful for second chance under government peace program
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — “We will not waste the second chance given to us and to our families.”
This was the message of a former rebel identified as ‘Inday,’ who thanked the government for helping former rebels rebuild their lives during the awarding of Safe Conduct Passes (SCPs) and immediate assistance in Tandag City on October 21.
Inday thanked the government for the support and the opportunity to start anew, reflecting the hopes of former rebels who want to return to peaceful civilian life and provide a better future for their families.
The activity provided SCPs to 121 recipients, while 50 former rebels received ₱10,000 each in immediate financial assistance from the provincial government of Surigao del Sur. All participants also received humanitarian packs to help address their immediate needs.
The activity was conducted under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which supports the government’s efforts to help former rebels return to their communities and rebuild their lives.
The SCP is part of the national government’s amnesty initiative under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration. Through Memorandum Order No. 36, issued in April 2025, the President authorized the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to issue passes to qualified amnesty applicants covered by applicable amnesty proclamations.
The pass helps qualified applicants travel safely and complete the requirements of their amnesty applications while these are being processed. It is not itself a grant of amnesty, and its legal protection is limited to covered offenses and applicable conditions.
Under the amnesty process, applicants submit their applications and supporting documents to a Local Amnesty Board (LAB). The board reviews the application and makes a recommendation to the NAC, which conducts further evaluation before endorsing qualified applications to the President for final action.
The application deadlines previously announced on March 13, 2026, were for former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). These deadlines had passed by the time of the October awarding ceremony. Applicants should confirm with the NAC or the nearest LAB whether any applicable extension or other filing arrangement is available.
Governor Johnny T. Pimentel, chairperson of the Caraga Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) and Surigao del Sur PPOC, urged the former rebels to remain committed to peace and avoid returning to their former groups. He also encouraged them to help sustain the province’s Stable Internal Peace and Security status.
For beneficiaries like Inday, the assistance represents an opportunity to move forward with their families. The provincial government urged them to make the most of this second chance by choosing peaceful livelihoods, rebuilding their lives, and contributing to their communities.
With sustained government support and former rebels’ commitments to peace, the initiative aims to strengthen reintegration, protect the province’s peace and security gains, and help build safer communities. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
