CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--In the continuing pursuit towards lasting peace, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to turnover P13.8 million-worth of Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) assistance to Bukidnon’s former rebels (FRs) who were members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front (NDF).
Scheduled August 3, at Camp Alagar, here, the turnover will personally be attended by the new DILG Secretary Lawyer Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr.
“The Region 10 is fortunate to have this activity personally attended by SILG Abalos, who will be visiting the Region for the first time in his term,” said DILG-10 Regional Director Arnel M. Aagbe.
He said the presence of the secretary will surely boost the morale of the agencies behind the efforts in attaining lasting peace in the region as well as encourage more rebels to surrender already.
Under ECLIP, 252 FRs from the Province of Bukidnon will receive financial support in the form of immediate assistance worth P15,000, livelihood assistance worth P50,000, reintegration assistance worth P21,000 and firearms remuneration depending on the surrendered firearms.
Demilitarizing surrendered firearms, welcoming new FRs
As a manifestation that surrendered firearms of former rebels are not being recycled by the government, Region 10 is also set to demilitarize 183 firearms during the said activity.
The demilitarized firearms are sold as scrap through public bidding and whoever wins the bidding may opt to melt the metallic part of the firearms and use this for other purposes.
Further, a total of 49 former rebels from the Provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City will also formally surrender during the activity.
“We are glad of this progress of Region 10 and we are looking forward that with the aid of our partner agencies, we will continue to convince more members of the rebels to already surrender to the folds of the government,” said Agabe.
The series of activities are made possible through the coordination of the Regional Management Coordinating Committee (RMCC) of Region 10 composed of the following agencies: DILG, Philippine National Police (PNP)-10, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-10, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-10, National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM)-10;
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)-10, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-10, Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC)-10, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), National Youth Commission (NYC)-10, and Bukidnon ECLIP Committee chaired by Bukidnon Governor, Rogelio Neil P. Roque. (DILG-10/PIA-10)
