ILOILO City – Eighty-four former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) received financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday at Camp Monteclaro, Barangay Igtuba, Miag-ao, Iloilo.
These former rebels hailed from the towns of Igbaras, Miag-ao, San Joaquin, and Leon in the 1st District of Iloilo Province, said Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Balgos, commander of the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion.
Balgos said the financial aid was part of the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), with the DSWD disbursing a total of P420,000.
“We aim to show the rebels, who continue to hide in the mountains, that our government is genuinely committed to assisting them. They need to halt the armed struggle and avail themselves of the livelihood programs and financial aid offered by our government,” Balgos told Panay News.
Before receiving this assistance, the ex-rebels underwent a process of verification and profiling. At present, 34 more former rebels are being assessed and profiled./PN
