Former rebels in Palawan get financial aid

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 19): Former rebels in Palawan get financial aid

The local government's Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) awarded PHP65,000 each to 13 former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as part of its goal to contribute towards achieving permanent and peaceful closure of armed conflicts with dissident groups.

In a statement issued September 18, the military's Western Command (WESCOM) said the former rebels received the financial assistance at the Provincial Capitol on September 15.

The former New People's Army members, who returned to the fold of the law in the second quarter of the year, are also eligible to receive financial aid under the Local Social Integration Program (LSIP) of the Palawan local government amounting to PHP25,000 each.

"The number of rebels surrendering is a good indicator that our peace programs are doing well in the province," said Major General Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr, commander of WESCOM.

He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Palawan hopes more rebels will surrender given the conduct of more outreach programs to aid poor residents living in distant barangays.

"We hope for more surrenderees to come down and rest assured that we will help them in their integration to the society, so they can start their lives anew with their loved ones," Kintanar added.

In a related news, Captain Wanel Ansa, environment unit and community relations officer of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 (MBLT-4) told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Monday that they had completed on September 13 their “Indigenous Peoples (IP) Tribal Outreach Program” for the Pala’wan settlers of Sitio Kelwi, Barangay Saraza, Brooke’s Point.

The outreach program for 300 Pala’wan IPs was carried out in cooperation with the local government unit (LGU) of Brooke’s Point headed by Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano and other municipal officials in a bid to step up the delivery of some basic services to poverty-striken residents of the hinterlands.

“The warm welcome of the Pala’wan IPs of Kelwi, Saraza only proves that they now shun the deceitful and fraudulent NPA,” he said.

The Pala’wan IPs received free medical check-ups, free livebirth registrations, Philhealth memberships, free vaccination, distribution of vegetable seeds, free medicine for domestic animals, anti-rabies vaccination, and school supplies, among others.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1009941