SAN JOSE, Antique – Ten former rebels in Antique received livelihood settlement grants from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday.
DSWD Antique provincial coordinator for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Geralyn Flores said the grant was given to the former rebels for them to come up with livelihoods as they start a new life.
“The government is concerned about their welfare,” Flores said in a short ceremony at the Productivity Skills Capability Building (PSCB) training center in the provincial capital.
Five of the recipients were from the municipality of Sibalom, three from Culasi, and two from Sebaste. Each received P20,000 as capital.
Antique provincial government Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) consultant Margie Gadian said the former rebels should strive to make their livelihood projects sustainable because these will be monitored by DSWD.
Last year the provincial government extended P10,000 each as an aid to individuals in crisis situations (AICS) and as part of Executive Order No. 70 or the “whole-of- nation” approach.
One of the recipients, alias Jongjong who was 16 when recruited in February 2020 by his friend alias Guiller, was lured by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Imparayan, Sibalom.
He stayed with the NPA for almost six months helping to recruit members.
“Since I was a minor then, I only helped in the recruitment and also in collecting the goods such as rice among the community folks,” he said.
He admitted that there were two of them minors when he was with the group. The other one was a 17-year-old from Miag-ao, Iloilo.
The former rebel said he will use the amount to start a business.
Alias Guiller, on the other hand, said he thought he would have a better life when he joined the NPA when he was only 18 years old.
“I later realized that life with the rebel group was more difficult than when we were with our families,” he said.
They escaped from the rebel movement in July 2020 and went home.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
