Government task force crafts future plan for former rebels, violent extremists
By Trixee Rosel
A government task force has crafted plans that will give former rebels (FRs) and former violent extremists (FVEs) the opportunity to live a normal life again as part of the long-term peace efforts.
The Task Force Balik Loob (TFBL) emphasized the significant change in the government's reintegration strategy, moving from a military-focused approach to a more holistic method in resolving the local communist armed conflict in the Philippines.
"The TFBL, on its sixth anniversary, will be more active and we will look for opportunities for us to have convergence mechanisms and how we can help our brothers who will return home,” said Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Angelito M. De Leon, chairperson of the TFBL, during the roadmapping workshop of the E-CLIP and Amnesty Program (EAP) Cluster held on April 12, 2024, at Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
He also commended the Philippine Armed Forces for their successful efforts in dismantling communist-terrorist guerrilla fronts throughout the nation.
“Imagine when we were still in the active service, we were addressing 89 guerrilla fronts. Especially, they were saying that the last fight would be in Compostela Valley or Samar. But now, I'm happy to note that these are thriving communities already. And we can see that peace will be restored. So once again, to TFBL, happy 6th anniversary,” De Leon added.
The roadmapping workshop was conducted to evaluate and rectify the deficiencies in the execution of the E-CLIP as well as develop a fresh implementation plan (IMPLAN) that will guide the trajectory of government programs from 2024 to 2028.