DAVAO ORIENTAL— Hoping to provide a comprehensive program for former rebels in their area of responsibility, a team from the Local Government Unit of Batangas in Luzon, recently benchmarked Davao Oriental’s successful implementation of Expanded Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP), particularly the operation of a halfway house for former rebels called Happy Home.
During the benchmarking activity on December 17 at the Tourism Annex Building in the City of Mati, the delegation from Batangas led by their ECLIP Program Manager Atty. Gerano S. Cabral, said that they intend to localize their ECLIP implementation to provide holistic services to former rebels, the same with the implementation here in the province.
Although their province has already implemented the E-CLIP, with program beneficiaries currently enjoys the P65,000 livelihood assistance and PhilHealth’s medical assistance, Cabral said that there is still a need to improve the implementation especially that former rebels in their area are temporarily housed at military camps.
“We have to systematize the implementation of our E-CLIP so that more rebels will be drawn to surrender to the government and to ensure the program’s effectiveness just like here in Davao Oriental,” Atty. Cabral said.
The Province of Davao Oriental, frequented by LGUs around the country, has been recognized for its holistic approach in transforming former rebels back into civilian life. This year, a total of five LGUs have already visited the province and its Happy Home.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Yvette Tolentino Sunga, who shared to the guests the history on how the province started the program during the stint of Former Governor now First District Representative Congresswoman Corazon Malanyaon, told the delegation the importance of the role of each agency in facilitating the transition of the former rebels into the mainstream society.
“We are very fortunate that we have a very active partners in the security sector, as well as other partners who actively play their part on this program of the government to win peace,” PD Sunga said.
Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, whose family’s roots came from Batangas, warmly welcomed the delegation and gave them a brief background of the program.
“This program was streamlined to totally eradicate insurgency because we believe that it is the only way to usher economic development in the province,” Governor Dayanghirang said.
701st Brigade Commander Col. Manuel Sequitin was also present to give the guests a tour at the brigade’s Ugnayan Center and at the Happy Home which is a stone’s throw away from the military camp. Photos by Eden Jhan Licayan
