DAVAO ORIENTAL—The Local Government Units of the Province of Misamis Oriental and the Province of Bukidnon as well as one of its component City, Cagayan de Oro, have cited the excellent leadership of the local chief executive and partner agencies of Davao Oriental in the successful implementation of its reintegration program for former rebels.
In a benchmarking activity held January 23, Col. Ferdinand Barandon, Deputy Brigade Commander of the 403rd Brigade, said that they have seen how Davao Oriental evolved into a champion province in the implementation of the Expanded Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) through its Happy Home.
“Davao Oriental is very successful as far as the requirement of the implementation of ECLIP. Apart from excellent collaboration, the agencies are properly implementing the undertaking. A while ago we saw that many former rebels have already benefitted from it and a lot more will benefit from it because of the excellent leadership of the local chief executive of Davao Oriental,” Col. Barandon said.
With the existing insurgency problem confronting their Brigade’s Area of Responsibility, which includes the three visiting LGUs, Col. Barandon said that excellent ECLIP is an effective strategy to draw more rebels in their area to surrender. While ECLIP is now currently implemented by the 403rd Brigade, they are yet to construct a processing center where they can house the former rebels.
“We are here to learn so that when we go back we can implement the program effectively. It’s a good example so we are not going to reinvent anymore. We might as well implement this in our area,” he added.
Based on the peace and order situation in the province of Bukidnon, DILG Provincial Director Carmelo Enrique Libot said that there is an urgent need to establish a halfway house in their area. He said that only financial assistance was given to the former rebels in their province who are housed in the military camp.
“In Bukidnon province we have many former rebel surrenders and we wanted also to construct a halfway house given that Davao Oriental has best practices. We are very happy to be here so we can see what we should do to be able to develop our own version of the happy home and to help the former rebels reintegrate into the mainstream society,” he said.
Libot said that all three LGUs already have its funding needed for the construction of a halfway house.
“We would like to thank Governor Dayanghirang for accommodating us because this serves as guidance on how to implement the ECLIP. We have learned that it is not just about giving assistance to the former rebels but rather we have to ensure the complete reintegration of the FRs into the society. And the agencies should not implement their program for the sake of just accomplishing it. Instead we really have to see that it benefits the FRs to grow as members of the society,” he furthered.
Welcoming the guests are Provincial Social Welfare Head Sarah Gudes, DILG Provincial Director Yvetted Tolentino-Sunga, among others, who gave a comprehensive explanation on how to run the happy home.
Col. Manuel Sequitin, 701st Brigade Commander, who gave the visitors a tour at the Ugnayan Center—a facility where the former rebels undergo debriefing, and at the happy house which is a stone’s throw away from the sprawling military camp, emphasized that ECLIP implementation here “goes beyond survival from their day to day needs.”
“We always ensure that former rebels become productive member of the society,” Col. Sequitin said. Photos by Rhea Shane Laureano
