PEACE GAINS. North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco (center) presides over the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting at the provincial capitol session hall in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City on Monday (March 2). During the meeting, the governor turned over livelihood assistance to former communist rebels who surrendered to the government under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. (Photo courtesy of North Cotabato PIO)
COTABATO CITY – A total of 29 former communist rebels in North Cotabato received a total of PHP3,449,000 livelihood assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
The turnover of assistance took place Monday during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) at the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City.
North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco and director Ali Abdullah of the provincial Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) office, presided over the turnover program for former members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA).
“The funds they received were part of continuing livelihood assistance and firearm reintegration and remuneration,” he said, adding the beneficiaries surrendered in 2018 and last year.
Each returnee received PHP15,000 plus an amount depending on the kind of firearms the former rebels had surrendered. Of the 29 returnees, one had received PHP1,458,000 for his surrendered weapons.
Last month, Catamco hosted the 6th Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting where she urged all members of the RPOC to unite for the successful implementation of the “whole-of-nation” approach to end insurgency and combat poverty.
"The ‘whole-of-nation’ approach in its essence requires the synergy of all national line agencies, local government units and all other sectors involved,” the governor said.
She added that the people’s concerted efforts to curb insurgency is ultimately a mere translation of a bigger aspiration to address the main social issue which is poverty.
She also reiterated her call addressed to all local officials of North Cotabato to continue the government’s pursuit of lasting peace.
“Peace is elemental in achieving the comprehensive development that the people of North Cotabato deserve,” she said. (PNA)
