The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently released at least P1.07 million cash assistance to 38 rebel returnees in this province as part of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) benefits.
Accroding to DILG provincial director Ruperto Maribbay, at least 10 former rebels received P65,000 each as livelihood and immediate cash assistance while P15,000 each to 28 militia ng bayan.
Maribbay said E-CLIP aims to facilitate the mainstreaming of the former rebels as productive citizens as well as enhance the capacities of the Local Government Units and the Non-Government Agencies to help them reconstruct their identities as part of the community.
“This is just part of the benefits that the rebel returnees could get from the government. We follow the guiding principle that we must be consistent with the principle of human rights and justice for all and recognize the former rebels as active participants of the program,” he added.
For his part, DILG regional director Jonathan Paul Leusen stressed the readiness of the government to assist rebels who are willing to return to the fold of the law.
“Communism is already a dying ideology. There are only few countries embracing communism,” Leusen told rebel returnees during the ceremonial distribution of cash grants held in this city.
Leusen, on the other hand, is hopeful that the proposed federal form of government will be pushed through so that the LGUs will have more funds for local development projects and assistance to the poor.
Kelinda Vidad, DILG focal person on E-CLIP, said aside from the E-CLIP benefits, there are also other packages offered to former rebels by other government agencies like the Conditional Cash Transfer, educational assistance skills training, house and lot, medical assistance, legal assistance and other immediate cash assistance and remuneration for firearms surrendered.
Vidad said other concerned government agencies are now assessing who among the rebel returnees are qualified for their respective programs and projects. (By Oliver T. Baccay)