MP rebel returnees start receiving gov’t assistance

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province - The first batch of rebel returnee (RR) beneficiaries of the provincial government’s livelihood program recently started receiving their first provincial financial monthly assistance from the provincial treasury office.

Miguela Angwani of the provincial social welfare and development office said the first batch, composed of 21 rebel surrenderees, earlier signed a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government in February to avail of the livelihood program.

Under the program, a qualified rebel returnee receives a P5,000 monthly allowance on condition that he will render community service in his barangay.

Community service includes day care center improvement, reforestation, health services, securing barangay managed institutions and public schools, maintenance of community irrigations, pathways and roads and other works that maybe assigned to them by barangay leaders.

Aside from community service, RR beneficiaries are also required to send their children who are of school age to school.

The barangay chairmen, signatories of the MOA, are tasked to monitor and supervise the RRs in their respective communities.

Angwani said a second batch composed of five new surrenderees has just signed the MOA to avail of the program while another one is being processed.

A pet project of provincial governor Leonard Mayaen, the RR livelihood program aims to partly address concerns of former communist rebels who returned to the fold of the law.

Mayaen said RRs lost a part of their social standing and that they should be given a chance to prove their worth in the community.

He added special privileges must be afforded to the rebel surrenderees for them to start a normal life.

Executive Order No. 53 issued by Mayaen and ratified by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, however, provides that not all RRs are qualified in the program.

Disqualified are RRs with pending cases in courts involving crimes against chastity, rape, torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs and other crimes for personal ends and violations of international laws.

Rebel returnee beneficiaries who refuse to send their children to school who are of school age, those who fail to live within the norms of the community and those who continue their relations with the underground movement are not disqualified in the program.