Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon led the ceremonial distribution of P736,000 in cash aid for former members of the New People’s Army, urging them to make good use of the funds by investing it properly to uplift their quality of life.
A total of 32 former rebels received P23,000 each in financial aid from the government. Of the amount, P20,000 comes from the government’s Sustainable Livelihood Program while P3,000 was being sourced out from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in line with the government’s whole-of-nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or ELCAC.
The governor said she was glad witnessing the event on September 2 at the Capitol gym that saw former rebels officially unshackled themselves from the horrific grip of the decades-old insurgent group that never know when to stop. She urged them to actively support the government’s peace and development programs especially in highly depressed villages to entice many more insurgents to surrender to the government.
“With a great sense of direction, I encourage all of you to become responsible citizens to put all your efforts on maximizing what is being provided to you and the government will acknowledge those efforts you put in and ensure to help you in growing further – as your success will also benefit others in your community,” Governor Malanyaon told the former rebels in the vernacular.
“I will not let you go back to your old ways that led you to a wrong direction. The insurgent group only bring misery to your lives,” says Governor Malanyaon.
Aside from the cash assistance, the FRs, who are already graduates of the provincial government’s Happy Home and Deradicalization Program, also took part in different interventions from different government agencies that include technical trainings, education, practical skills, spiritual and psychiatric healing, among many other services.
Such worthy government programs for the former rebels were first initiated from 2007 when Malanyaon first assumed the governorship up to the end of her 9-year term in 2016. As she made a comeback to the Capitol in July 2022, the governor has vowed to enhance even more the programs for former rebels.
Malanyaon was the first governor to put up the Happy Home on April 13, 2013, a transition shelter for the former rebels. She was pleasantly surprised as the structure had lured numerous rebels to take safe refuge in the facility that have already won back the trust and confidence of hardcore insurgents.
“I am very happy every time I get to hear a rebel who is now able to provide for his family and who is able to rise from extreme poverty, pursuing a business, gearing up for agriculture, being an entrepreneur and all others who surrendered with meaningful endeavors and put on efforts — you are the living testaments which made the government’s assistance programs a truly worthy and fruitful endeavors,” says Governor Malanyaon.
Present during the distribution program is the provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Orle Cabaobao who disclosed that aside from the P23,000 assistance, the former rebels are also set to receive another P50,000 in livelihood assistance and P15,000 as immediate assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government.
Also gracing the event are the ELCAC Action Officer Retired General Leopoldo A. Imbang, Jr., 701st Brigade Commander Brigadier General Oliver C. Maquiling, DSWD XI Regional Director Atty. Vanessa B. Goc-ong represented by DSWD XI ELCAC Focal Person Chanine Parian, Provincial Administrator Ma. Gracia Tiago along with the representatives from other peace and development partners. By Mark Oliver Alvite
