BUTUAN CITY - Despite the threat posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the provincial and municipal governments of Agusan del Sur extended financial assistance to 59 former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the remote and far-flung areas in the municipality of La Paz town of that same province.
The provincial government of Agusan del Sur and local government unit of La Paz remained steadfast in curbing the local Communist armed conflict, and in providing the necessary and appropriate interventions to the former NPAs and even the affected residents in the remote and conflict-affected areas in La Paz town.
The 59 former rebels received cash assistance from the government worth P15,000 pesos each.
The handing over of cash assistance to them was in time with the conduct of the three-day peace-building seminar last week with the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Barangay Kasapa II of that same town.
In this activity, the locals passed a resolution declaring ‘persona non-grata’ the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Apart from extending financial assistance to the FRs, four people’s organizations (POs) were also given tissue culture lacatan plantlets with organic fertilizers, vegetables, and corn seeds from the provincial and municipal agriculture offices.
Agusan del Sur Gov. Santiago Cane, Jr. said the IPs have been very supportive and cooperative in the local peace talks and dialogue and actively join other sectors towards achieving peace and development in the province and the region.