BACOLOD CITY -- Fourteen former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Occidental recently received P280,000 worth of livelihood settlement grants from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the distribution of the cash assistance in a ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol here on Dec. 19, in the presence of Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), Provincial Social Welfare and Development Head Merle Garcia, and Narciso Abad lll, focal person of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Each rebel from the municipality of Isabela and cities of Sagay and Escalante, received P20,000 under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD.
Food packs from the provincial government were also distributed.
Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, commander of 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), said the former NPA rebels are now in a better position to generate a sustainable source of livelihood that would aid them to be integrated back into the society and be productive citizens and agents of peace in their respective communities.
“We will work hand in hand with other government agencies to help facilitate the benefits intended for them,” added Lt. Col. Javines.