Northern Samar is now free from any active guerrilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA), Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur’’ Abalos Jr. said on Wednesday, May 8.
Abalos said that while there are still sightings of seven roving vertical formations of CPP-NPA members in the province, the barangays are no longer supporting them.
Abalos was in Catarman, Northern Samar recently where he led the distribution of livelihood and financial assistance under the DILG-administered Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration (E-CLIP) program to 16 former rebels.
The DILG noted that the 16 former rebels each received P15,000 immediate assistance, P50,000 livelihood assistance and firearm remuneration.
He stressed the importance of providing the basic needs of a community such as water, electricity, schools, and well-paved road to usher sustainable progress and peace, after being declared insurgency-free.
“What is important is dapat ma-sustain natin itong mga projects na ito na ginagawa ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos (is we sustain these projects that the administration of President Marcos is implementing),’’ Abalos said.
The DILG chief also commended Northern Samar Governor Edwin Marino C. Ongchuan for granting additional financial and other assistance to the former rebels.
“The Northern Samar provincial government provided P30,000 remuneration for firearms; housing units; and farmlands for agriculture development; and hired the former rebels as farm workers with a daily wage of P350 each,’’ the DILG stated.
Abalos also met with the members of the Joint Regional Task Force 8-ELCAC to map out strategies to achieve the target of making Northern Samar an insurgency-free province.