BUKIDNON EX-REBELS RECEIVE PHP 4.5M ASSISTANCE VIA E-CLIP

Government financial assistance is still up for those who are willing to give up their weapons and seek for a peaceful resolution towards starting anew. 

As such, 79 more former rebels from the Province of Bukidnon received a total of Php 4,518,825.00-worth of financial assistance via Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), in support to finally ending the local communist armed conflict in the country. 

The received financial assistance packages were composed of immediate and livelihood assistance, and firearm remuneration, depending on the benefits they are entitled of. 

“We are glad that through DILG’s E-CLIP, more rebels are now turning their back against insurgency to start a new and better life not only for them but for their whole family too,” said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 10 Assistant Director Yvette Tolentino Sunga. 

She added that through the financial grants, ex-rebels are given an opportunity to improve the quality of their lives, especially through livelihood financial assistance worth Php 50,000.00 that they will be receiving. 

Other than the mentioned assistance, through Executive Order No. 70, known as the “Whole-of-Nation Approach”, the former rebels will have will have chance to access the housing grant from the National Housing Authority (NHA). 

Also, they will be given an opportunity for skills training and education from Deapartment of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and other agencies—whichever option fits the former rebel best. 

“We want our former rebels to ensure that the benefits that they are receiving from the government will mainstream back to the society. Hopefully, they will live normal lives and be productive citizens in their communities,” ARD Sunga said. 

E-CLIP provides complete package of assistance to former rebels who were members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front (NDF), as well as their family members, who have surrendered to the government to abandon armed struggle and become productive members of the society. 

This is just one of the clusters of the “Whole-of-Nation Approach” which aims to address the root causes of insurgencies and other armed conflicts and threats by prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social development packages by the government