Former rebels get livelihood aid

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 2): Former rebels get livelihood aid

Three former rebels from Lambunao, Iloilo on Wednesday each received livelihood assistance worth P65,000 through the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

Governor Arthur Defensor awarded the checks to beneficiaries during the quarterly meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council held at the Provincial Capitol.

Of the P65,000 amount, Director Teodora Sumagaysay of the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Iloilo said 15,000 is given as an immediate assistance to the beneficiary for mobilization expenses while his enrolment to the program is being processed and the remaining P50,000 is intended for the livelihood undertaking that he has identified.

Before the former rebels benefited from the program they participated in the profiling, capability building and values formation activities conducted by the local social welfare and development office.

They also secured a certificate from JAPIC (Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police Intelligence Committee), that certified them that they are members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and eligible to be enrolled in the CLIP.

Aside from the livelihood assistance, the three former rebels will also get corresponding amount as token of appreciation for their surrendered firearms. The CLIP Technical Working Group in the province has yet to decide the amount to be given.

DILG was tasked to lead the implementation of CLIP which seeks to contribute toward achieving the goal of permanent and peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state armed groups.

Qualified to avail of the program are regular members of NPA who surfaced 2011 onwards and have expressed the desire to abandon armed violence and become productive members of society including their spouses, partners, children (whether legitimate or illegitimate), parents or siblings and those who have not receive full assistance under the Social Integration Program (SIP) based on Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process list of former rebels that surfaced between 2007-2009.

Other government agencies involved in the implementation of CLIP in the province are Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, local government units.

http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1004641