The provincial government of Sarangani has released around
Php385,000 worth of livelihood assistance to 77 former rebels who surrendered
last year in parts of the province.
Sarangani board member Virgilio Clark Tobias said the
livelihood grant comprise the initial assistance approved by the local
government under the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).
“This is a starter fund to help jumpstart the livelihood
activities of the rebel returnees,” he said in a statement.
Tobias, who led the awarding of the grant, said each rebel
returnee will receive a Php5,000 assistance that will be used to fund their
chosen livelihood projects or ventures.
Aside from the starter funds, he said they are currently
working on the release of additional assistance for the former rebels through
various programs of the national government.
The official said the beneficiaries were among the New
People’s Army rebels from the area who surrendered to government forces last
year following a series of negotiations.
He said the returnees came from the municipalities of
Malungon, Alabel and Malapatan.
Since 2011, the provincial government of Sarangani has
already assisted a total of 379 former rebels through CLIP.
Of these, 66 were already given livelihood cash assistance
by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process through its national
CLIP, which is formerly known as the Social Integration Program.
The recipients, who were mostly former members of the New
People’s Army, received assistance ranging from Php5,000 to Php50,000 each
depending on their category.
The provincial government has extended livelihood cash
assistance to 167 other former rebels amounting to Php835,000.
CLIP reintegrates former rebels into the social mainstream
and uplifts their socio-economic conditions to enable them to become active
partners in local development.
The program also seeks to contribute towards the achievement
of the goal of permanent peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state
armed groups.
The program’s protocol covers validation and authentication,
immediate assistance, psychological intervention, resettlement and integration.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=732639
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