Breaking The Habit

Government Provides Housing to Former Rebels

Former rebels now have a place to call home.

With the help of the Philippine government, former communist rebels as well as their families have been given houses in communities located in Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani.

According to the Department of National Defence (DND), the Task Force “Balik Loob” (Rebel Returnee) have handed over the houses to the former insurgents. This initiative is under the Philippine government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Localised Integration Programme (E-Clip).

Rey Mapagu, Defence Undersecretary and head of Task Force Balik Loob, said that the houses will also serve as “halfway houses” for the former rebels who are transitioning towards a new life.

Under the Comprehensive Livelihood Improvement Programme (CLIP), the government has been providing integration programs for former rebels since 2013. Through these programs, they are given a chance to become productive members of society and provide for their families. The rebels simply need to surrender their weapons to participate.

President Rodrigo Duterte has added more “halfway houses” and other benefits to the rebels through the programme.

“A halfway house is a facility where various programmes ranging from psycho-social healing, education and skills training, and even health check-ups can be conducted. Since former rebels can be consolidated at halfway houses or Happy Homes, it also acts as a convergence hub of different government agencies for the provision of their assistance to them,” he said.

Both the rebels and their families are being trained in various vocations including carpentry, welding, massage therapy, and more.

“As of July 11, 2018, a total of 45 out of 241 former rebels have already received a National Certification II from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) after finishing the Skill Development Training [carpentry, welding and massage therapy] intended for them. All 241 were likewise enrolled in the Department of Labour and Employment’s (DOLE) Livelihood Programme. Other interventions may include PhilHealth enrollment, housing, legal assistance, and other social intervention,” said Mapagu.

Former rebels also have a chance to be employed abroad with a TESDA certification.

Communist rebels under the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), which is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), still remain as one of the biggest threats to national security according to officials.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo said that around 7,531 rebels and their sympathisers were neutralised from January 1 to June 28 this year. 71 were killed, 114 were captured, and 7,346 voluntarily surrendered.

Since Jose Maria Sison established the CPP-NPA in 1969, it has been fighting Philippine administrations. Sison has been living in self-imposed exile for more than three decades.

via Gulf News / Gilbert P. Felongco

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