GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The provincial government of South Cotabato has endorsed the inclusion of 18 rebel returnees into the government’s reintegration program.
Grace Rodel, the program coordinator for rebel returnees, said Wednesday they are currently processing the application of the former rebels for various support and livelihood assistance under the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).
She said the 18 returnees, which include two minors, were former members of a New People’s Army (NPA) unit operating in the province’s upper valley area.
They surrendered last year to the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, she said.
CLIP reintegrates former rebels into the social mainstream and seeks to uplift their socio-economic conditions to enable them to become active partners in local development.
The program seeks to contribute in the achievement of the goal of permanent peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state armed groups.
Rodel said each returnee stands to receive an initial P15,000 as immediate assistance, and a separate financial assistance of P50,000 for their chosen livelihood livelihood projects – through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
On top of the CLIP assistance, she said the provincial government will also extend an augmentation assistance of P20,000.
Since January, she said they already endorsed 20 rebel returnees into the CLIP and other related support programs.
Two of the returnees already completed the profiling process and signed their application documents, she added. (Anna liza Cabrido/PNA)
