Koronadal City—The Provincial Government of South Cotabato presided the Groundbreaking Ceremony of Halfway House for the former rebels located inside the compound of the Animal Production and Processing Center at Brgy. Tinongcop, Tantangan.
The P5M-worth halfway house is funded by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) under Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program(ECLIP).
According to Haide Agustin, South Cotabato Provincial Social Welfare Officer, the rebels will stay in the
halfway house temporarily while processing their documents.
According to Severino Samgan, Peace President of South Cotabato Former Rebels, the halfway house is a big help for them who wanted to get back to there community. He is thankful that the government gives them a chance. He called other remaining rebels in the mountain to surrender and avail the benefits of the government program.
Under the ECLIP, former rebels received 15,000 pesos as immediate assistance, P21,000 as re-integration assistance and 50,000 pesos as their livelihood assistance. Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato will give an additional 20,000 pesos to rebels returnees.
The facility is a center where returnees will experience healing process conducted by a social worker. During there stay, they will be taught to handle their finances and sustain a livelihood. (With reports from MIA LULU)
