22 former rebels in Sarangani given livelihood opportunities

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (August 14, 2012) - Twenty-two former rebels (FRs) who have returned to the folds of law received on Tuesday (August 14) livelihood assistance from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) through Sarangani’s comprehensive local integration program (CLIP) for its rebel returnees.

OPAPP area coordinator Emmanuel Fable said the aid would provide FRs start-up capital to support them as they start a new life as he pointed out “ito (assistance) ay tiwala na binibigay namin sa kanila na pwede silang magbagong-buhay.”

The checks distributed has summed up to P419,000 where each FR received from a range of at least P5,000 to P50,000 depending on the proposal of FRs and the assessment of the provincial social welfare and development office.

This is the second batch of check awarding under CLIP, a new program under the Internal Peace and Security Plan-Bayanihan of the government which enjoined more participation from the local government units to make the program more sustainable.

Same livelihood opportunities and assistance were also provided to FRs last year but was funded under the Social Integration Program of the Arroyo administration which has been shelved. 

Governor Migs Dominguez reported that for the past 10 years, Sarangani already facilitated more than 300 surrenderees which made the province noted to have topped over other provinces in the country in terms of the number of FRs.

“Dito mo makikita ang cooperation ng local government at national especially sa Armed Forces of the Philippines, 73rd Infantry Battalion at ang mga rebelde na gustong mag-surrender.”

 He told FRs that there are countless reasons behind joining the rebel groups but he pointed out “wala’y barrio, wala’y barangay, wala’y probinsya nga mulambo tungod sa giera. Naay balaod nga kinahanglanon ipatuman pero ang pagrebelde dili solusyon sa pag-arangkada sa kumunidad.”

Lt. Col. Adolfo Espuelas Jr. of the 73rd IB also told them it is in this intervention “makikita ang pagmamahal, pag-aaruga and care sa mga nahisalaag. Magpasalamat kita sa mga leaders nato that are really ready to embrace you back to the mainstream society.”

 “Obviously,” he said, “the program has been very effective in encouraging others to come down also dahil sa pagbibigay natin ng livelihood na naipapakita natin ang katotohanan at sincerity ng gobyerno para tumulong para sa mga handang magbalik-loob.”

 The FRs, which mostly came from the farthest barangays of Glan, were screened by the joint authentication and validation committee composed by representatives from the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, the provincial government and from the civil society organization before they underwent the re-integration process conducted by the PSWDO. For more news and updates, please visit the <a href= http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/ > Province of Sarangani </a>. (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)