Local government units step up efforts to help former rebels

‘YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE’ - DILG Dir. Dennis Villaseñor lauded rebels who were ‘man enough’ to abandon armed insurgency and chose to live a more peaceful life with their families. Photo shows the awarding of financial assistance to former rebels in Agusan del Norte on 14 April 2021. (Photo from NBOO DILG) 

by: SUSAN G. DE LEON

CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- Local government units (LGUs) should play a more active role in sustaining government efforts to help both active and former rebels (FRs) reintegrate into society and implement social protection programs for the members of the vulnerable sector.

DILG National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) Director Dennis Villaseñor emphasized this during his interview in the radio program, "Balik-Loob sa Pagbabago."

According to Dir. Villaseñor, DILG extends an array of assistance to all local chief executives to capacitate them in implementing the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and other peace and development projects under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). 

Aside from financial and livelihood assistance, halfway houses constructed by the LGUs have already helped thousands of FR beneficiaries in their transition to mainstream society. 

Dir. Villaseñor also shared that some LGUs even go out of their way to assist in the livelihood projects of FRs and their dependents through product marketing and sales. (TFBL/PIA-NCR)