ILOILO PROVINCIAL CAPITOL, Iloilo City (DWDD) – A beneficiary of the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program received immediate and livelihood assistance from the Provincial Government of Iloilo during a turn-over of assistance ceremony at 9:30 a.m. here today March 31, 2016.
Alias Ruben is the latest beneficiary of CLIP who received the amount of Php 15, 000.00 for financial assistance and Php 50, 000.00 worth of livelihood assistance to start a livelihood project which will be monitored regularly by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other concerned agencies.
Alias Ruben was one of the sixty-seven former rebels who returned to the government’s fold in 2015 from Panay and Negros after realizing the futility of the armed struggle.
“Nag desider ako nga abandonahon ang armado nga panghimakas bangud sa kabudlay nga akon naagum kag wala man kami may madangatan sa sulod sang hublag (I decided to abandon the armed struggle because of the hardships that I experienced and there is no clear direction for us inside the movement). Sa madugay na nga ti-on, wala ko gid makita ang akon pamilya labi na gid ang akon mga ginikanan bangud gina dumili-an kami (For a long time, I was not able to see my family especially my parents because we are prohibited to do so). Amo ini nga nangayo ako sing bulig sa 82nd Infantry Battalion sing Philippine Army (That’s why I seek the assistance of the 82nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army),” alias Ruben said.
The Army’s 82IB under Lt. Col. Enriqueto Deocadez, Jr together with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Iloilo facilitated the profiling of alias Ruben and the processing of pertinent documents for the livelihood assistance under the CLIP.
Hon Arthur Defensor, Sr, Governor of Iloilo handed over the livelihood assistance which was also attended by Iloilo provincial offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army and the media.
Governor Defensor once again expressed the provincial government’s full support in the efforts to attain lasting peace in the province of Iloilo.
In the first quarter of 2016, a total of ten NPA members in Panay had turned their backs from armed violence and chose to live peaceful lives. They revealed their longing for their families and that fighting is not the solution to their problems.
Meanwhile, Col Eric Uchida, Commanding Officer of 301st Brigade said “This is an indication that many rebels are getting tired of the hardships in the mountains and we expect more of them to abandon the armed struggle and go back to mainstream society.”
Alias Ruben expressed his deep gratitude especially to the Philippine Army for facilitating his return to the folds of law and mainstream society and also to the provincial government for providing him such program which will help him to become productive citizen of Iloilo.
Brig. Gen. Harold Cabreros, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division for his part reiterated the call of all the stakeholders for NPA remnants to abandon the armed struggle, embrace peace and take the opportunity of the government’s integration program. “Join us together with the stakeholders in our efforts to end violence and insurgency and promote peace and development in our society,” Cabreros said. 3DPAO / MCAG
http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/new-life-ii-fmr-npa-receives-livelihood-assistance-from-clip-of-iloilo-lgu/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.