The Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) facilitated the release of P1.3 million to 21 former rebels on Monday through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
Among those present during the awarding of the assistance at the Provincial Coliseum was Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, commander of the 39th Infantry Battalion, who expressed his gratitude for the continuing effort of partner agencies and the local government units in mainstreaming former rebels.
“Indeed it is a manifestation of the genuine concern of the government to address the cause of insurgency,” said Balagtey.
Among the beneficiaries was a former medical officer of a guerilla unit who expressed her optimism about the assistance.
“This will be of great help for us to restart our lives and become responsible citizens of this country. I know that the process will be hard, but with the help of the government, I’m sure all of us can really achieve peaceful lives,” she said.
Of the beneficiaries, 19 received P65,000 each in livelihood assistance, while the remaining 2 received P15,000 each in immediate assistance. Before receiving the assistance, the 19 beneficiaries underwent additional orientation, apart from the training they had undergone during the three-month Tupad Pangako Program, which aims to prepare and deradicalize them for reintegration into their respective communities and families.
