In two (2) separate activities, a total of one hundred and eighteen (118) former rebels who surrendered in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani were granted financial assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
On July 11, 2018, Sultan Kudarat 1st District Congressman Datu Suharto Mangudadatu, DILG Undersecretary for Peace and Order Bernardo Florece, Jr. and DND Undersecretary for Civil Veterans and Retirees Affairs Reynaldo Mapagu led the awarding ceremony for one hundred and six (106) former rebels who surrendered in Sultan Kudarat.
Provincial Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu, National Brangay Operations Office (NBOO) Director Leocadio Trovela, PNP-PRO XII Regional Director PCSUPT. Marcelo Morales, 6th Infantry Division BGen. Bismarck Soliba and DILG XII Regional Director Reynaldo Bungubung, CESO IV were also present.
On July 12, 2018, Provincial Governor Steve Solon and Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu led the awarding ceremony for twelve (12) former rebels who surrendered in Sarangani Province.
Also present were NBOO Director Leocadio Trovela, 27th Infantry Battalion BGen. Roberto Ancan, PCSUPT. Marcelo Morales and DILG XII Regional Director Reynaldo Bungubung, CESO IV.
Each former rebel was granted an immediate assistance of Php15,000.00 and a livelihood assistance of Php50,000.00 among many other benefits specified in the E-CLIP implementing guidelines. On the other hand, a reintegration assistance of Php7,000.00 was also granted to the Philippine Army unit which received the former rebels.
E-CLIP is locally-driven, managed and implemented. The Province or Highly Urbanized City (P/HUC) is the focal point of authority and management of the integration program to provide more sustainability and consistency.
The Program veers away from the past practice of pre-packaged interventions designed at the national level. It responds to the circumstances, needs and concerns of former rebels through provision of assistance and seeks to consider their basic rights and situations as men and women.
Another remarkable feature of the Program is the establishment of halfway houses/receiving facilities where the former rebels are to be welcomed and housed for security measures during the facilitation of their surrender.
It is notable that Region XII is the only region in the country that has all four of its provinces constructing their respective halfway houses at the moment.
