ILOILO City – One hundred fifteen former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) recently received cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6.
The beneficiaries came from Miag-ao, Tubungan, San Joaquin, Leon, Igbaras, Maasin, and Lambunao.
Captain Kim Apitong, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said
DSWD’s Katherine Lamprea and Provincial SWD Iloilo led by Hazel Mae Gaquiin coordinated with the Armed Forces and municipal mayors to release P575,000 to the 115 former rebels at the Justice Ramon B. Britanico Hall, Miag-ao town.
Apitong added that this was part of the sustainable livelihood program of DSWD.
“They have to divide the P575,000 or they received P5,00 each of them. Laking tulong na ito sa kanila,” Apitong said.
The rebels received another P5,000 each from the government’s program through Executive No. 70 or the Institutionalization of the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Ending Communist Local Armed Conflict.
The 3ID commander, Major General Benedict Arevalo lauded the concerted efforts of the 301st Infantry Brigade, DSWD and local government units for supporting the government’s anti-insurgency campaign that resulted in the granting of cash assistance to the former rebels.
“Once again I call on the remaining rebels in the mountains to surrender and avail themselves of the government’s programs and live peacefully,” Arevalo said./PN
