Tuesday, August 12, 2014

DILG adopts Sarangani’s rebel integration program as model for other LGUs

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 12): DILG adopts Sarangani’s rebel integration program as model for other LGUs

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has adopted Sarangani Province’s experiences in the handling of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) for former rebels as model for other local government units (LGUs) in the country.

Lizette Lopez, CLIP-Sarangani program head, said Tuesday the DILG central office has been specifically sharing the province’s strategies and initiatives in connection with the program’s implementation to other LGUs.

She said they were tapped by the agency for its recent series of replication seminars for various cities and provinces in the country.

“We’ve been receiving good remarks about the handling and implementation of CLIP in our area,” Lopez said.

CLIP is being implemented by the provincial government under the Sulong Kapayapaan component of the flagship Sulong Sarangani program of Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon.

The program mainly aims to reintegrate former rebels in the social mainstream and uplift their socio-economic conditions to become active partners in development.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process initially spearheaded the program’s implementation but later turned it over to the DILG.

The DILG has provided the national policy direction, developed its implementing guidelines, leads the coordination with different agencies and assists the monitoring and evaluation of the development of its recipients.

Lopez said the DILG provides assistance to qualified rebel returnees for mobilization expenses, medical check-up and livelihood.

Additional cash assistance is granted for rebels who surrender their firearms and ammunition, she said.

In the last three years, the DILG and the provincial government of Sarangani Province already assisted a total of 379 former NPA rebels through the CLIP.

The former rebels received various livelihood assistance ranging from P5,000 to P50,000 each.

For this year, the provincial government has allocated additional funds through its Annual Investment Plan for the provision of livelihood assistance, food assistance, health insurance and other skills training for qualified rebel returnees.
 

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