Duterte creates task force for the reintegration of former rebels

President Duterte signed Administrative Order no. 10 (AO 10), creating the Task Force Balik-Loob, an inter-agency task force which will centralize all government efforts for the reintegration of former rebels, Tuesday.

REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Duterte, in his AO, said the since attaining a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace is the basic foundation of economic development and national prosperity, a single body is needed to centralize government efforts for the reintegration of former rebels to the society.

"There is a need to centralize all government efforts for the reintegration of former rebels in order to maximize their socio-economic and political impact by ensuring the effective and efficient implementation thereof," Duterte said in his AO.

The Task Force will be composed of representatives not lower than the rank of Undersecretary from the Department of National Defense (DND), OPAPP, DILG, Office of the President (OP), and the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Task Force Balik-Loob will be chaired by the DND representative, who may invite other government agencies or instrumentalities to the Task Force as necessary.

The Task Force will be in charge in centralizing the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The CLIP seeks to contribute toward achieving the goal of permanent and peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state armed groups, while the PAMANA targets community-based development in conflict-affected areas.

Under Duterte's AO, the CLIP is enhanced, and will be called E-CLIP, by providing a complete package of assistance to former rebels who are members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), as well as their family members, who have surfaced since the President took office.

Reintegration efforts will be centralized by intensifying the linkage of the E-CLIP with the PAMANA, with due regard to the individual needs of former rebels and their families, as well as the entire community.

The Task Force, which will be the central coordinating body that will supervise reintegration, is tasked to develop the strategic communication (StratCom) plan and the implementing guidelines governing the efforts, and address implementation issues at the national and local levels.

It will also coordinate with concerned local government units (LGUs) to ensure the effective and timely implementation of the reintegration efforts, and provide capability assistance to concerned LGUs.

It is also tasked to prepare a coordination, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting mechanism that shall be used by all concerned agencies in checking the status of the reintegration efforts. These include their responsiveness, effectiveness, and sustainability.

The Task Force will prepare and submit regularly consolidated reports on the reintegration efforts. It will also review and update all plans, guidelines, and mechanisms to ensure their responsiveness and effectiveness.

It can also call upon the assistance and cooperation of all concerned government agencies for the effective implementation of the new AO.

All relevant government agencies, meanwhile, are compelled to provide needed materials, equipment, and technology; and mandate their regional or provincial units to support the LGU in the implementation of reintegration efforts.

Based on the AO, the amount needed for the implementation of the AO shall be charged, whenever applicable, against the existing allocation for PAMANA and the respective budgets of the concerned agencies, and if necessary, the contingent fund and other funding source determined by the Department of Budget and Management.

The succeeding year's appropriations for the reintegration efforts shall be included in the annual budgets of the concerned agencies, subject to the usual budget preparation process.