DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- A total of 42 former rebels (FRs) and “Militia ng Bayan” (MNB) members received their livelihood financial assistance from the government through the Negros Oriental Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NOTF ELCAC) as of September this year.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Operations Officer Alpha Marie Delos Reyes said these individuals were beneficiaries of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) and Amnesty Cluster of the task force which helps them in their reintegration to mainstream society.
Delos Reyes said each of them received P15,000 as immediate assistance, P50,000 livelihood assistance, P21,000 integration assistance, additional P5,000 from the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental, and additional P5,000 personally provided by Gov. Roel Degamo.
Another incentive for FRs and MNBs under the ECLIP program is the firearms remuneration where they are given an amount that is double the cost valuation of turned over firearms based on Circular No. 2018-17.
Aside from this, they received guaranteed security and free PhilHealth registration.
The first turnover of these cash assistance was held in February with 27 beneficiaries, followed by the second turnover in June with seven FRs and eight MNBs.
Delos Reyes, during the recent Kapihan sa PIA forum, said ECLIP and Amnesty Cluster is one of the four clusters headed by DILG under NOTF ELCAC.
“The ECLIP Cluster is the central coordinating body that will supervise the reintegration efforts for former rebels of the CPP-NPA-NDF as well as their family members,” Delos Reyes said, referring to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) - New People’s Army (NPA) - National Democratic Front (NDF), which the government identified as an alleged Communist-Terrorist-Group (CTG).
Delos Reyes said the monitoring of the beneficiary is conducted by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the lead agency for the Poverty Reduction Cluster of NOTF ELCAC, also conducted several skills development trainings for FRs, MNBs, and their dependents in communities identified as priority areas for the government’s convergence efforts to address issues related to insurgency.
“We are consulting them on what particular program na katong programa na ganahan nila para (which they like so that) the outcome of the program will be sustainable livelihood,” TESDA Provincial Director Joel Villagracia said.
He said that based on their consultations, most of the beneficiaries prefer to take trainings on driving, bread and pastry production, poultry production, and shielded metal arc welding because they see livelihood opportunities or ventures in these fields.
Based on the data from TESDA provincial office, around 20 persons in Brgy. Panciao, Manjuyod and 16 persons in Brgy. Calango, Zamboanguita have completed the training on Bread and Pastry Production.
Another batch of 20 beneficiaries completed the training on high inbred rice production, seed certification, and farm mechanization training in barangays Samac and Bagtic in Mabinay and Brgy. Mayabon in Zamboanguita.
Meanwhile, 25 persons have completed the skills training in Driving NC II from Brgy. Panciao, Manjuyod, while 23 individuals from the said barangay also completed the training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC II.
Twenty persons also graduated from SMAW NC II Training in Brgy. Budlasan, Canlaon City.
These are the villages identified as priority areas for ELCAC programs in Negros Oriental. (RAL/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
