Helping rebels return to normal life

INTERIOR Secretary Mar Roxas receives a firearm being surrendered by a former rebel in exchange for livelihood financing in the implementation of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DAVAO CITY—The Department of the Interior and Local Government has spent a total of about P4.29 million on livelihood assistance for 66 former rebels in Bukidnon as part of their reintegration into the mainstream society under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

The former rebels received P65,000 each from Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Bukidnon Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. during simple rites held at the headquarters of the 403rd Infantry Brigade in Malaybalay City.

Twenty-six of the former rebels have surrendered as early as 2009 while the rest yielded in March.

Roxas urged the CLIP beneficiaries to be prudent and wise in spending the livelihood financing given to them by the government.

He said he would help find ways for the former rebels to find more sustainable sources of income.

Zubiri said aside from the government help that Roxas had turned over, the former rebels would also get additional livelihood support funds of P50,000 each from the provincial government.

Roxas said the government remains steadfast in its resolve to address the insurgency through “good governance and reform anchored on the ‘straight path’ thrust of the Aquino administration.”

He said the implementation of CLIP demonstrated the Aquino administration’s commitment to pursue peace and development amid stalled peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Inquirer Mindanao