Recalling his 18-year experience as a commander in the armed communist movement, Aurelio Botilla said he decided to quit because of his frustration with its policies and leaders.
He said he then went back to his hometown in Catmon, Cebu and later became a beneficiary of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP)–the government’s reintegration program.
Botilla joined the CPP-NPA in 1991. After 18 years of being a rebel, he finally decided to leave the underground movement and seized the opportunity to turn a new leaf in life.
“Ako kay wala man koy kapasidad kay wa man koy grado ang tanan nakong mga ideya ilahang babagan giingan man ko nga anti command ko niya ako isip commander buot pasabot naa koy katungod nga mosugyot kay matag usa kanamo naa may katungod nga mopadayag kung unsa ang naa sa among hunahuna, maong naka desisyon ko nga mobiya na sa kalihokan,” said Botilla.
(Since I don’t have the skills since I did not finish my studies, all my ideas were ignored. They also described me as an anti-command member, and I was disappointed since I was one of the commanders, which means I have the right to suggest because each of us have the right to express what we have in mind. Because of that, I have decided to leave the group.)
He also described the positive changes in his life since he surrendered to the government.
“Dako gyung kausaban ang nahitabo sa among kinabuhi sukad mi nibalik sa sabakan sa balaod kay gawasnon naman mi, karon bisan asa na mi pwede manginabuhi,” he said.
(A lot of changes have happened in our lives since we surrendered to the government because we now have our own freedom and we can now live anywhere we want.)
E-CLIP beneficiary
E-CLIP provides rebel returnees with financial assistance to help them rejoin mainstream society.
As a beneficiary, Botilla received various assistance especially in terms of livelihood, which served as a springboard for him to start a new life in his hometown.
Botilla said he received P15,000 as immediate cash assistance, P50,000 as livelihood assistance, and P21,000 as reintegration assistance.
“Karon padayun pud mi nga nakadawat og tabang, nahatagan mi og mga hayop sama sa kanding ug uban pa nga dakong tabang gyud sa among panginabuhi,” he said.
(We continue to receive other assistance like farm animals such as goats, which greatly helped us in our livelihood.)
The financial package covers immediate assistance, the provision of a reintegration process, a starting capital for livelihood, as well as remunerating surrendered firearms.
According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) E-CLIP regional focal person Ruel Evangelista, the E-CLIP also provides firearm renumeration assistance if rebel returnees have surrendered weapons, and funding assistance to local government units for the construction of halfway houses.
“Samtang aduna usab gigahin nga pondo gikan sa national government ngadto sa mga LGUs kung diin gigahinan sila og 5 million pesos para sa halfway house samtang aduna usab mga additional assistance gikan sa mga partner agencies nga part sa EO 70,” he said during a recent Kapihan sa PIA interview.
(There are also funds allocated from the national government to the local government units where they are given P5 million for the halfway house. There is also additional assistance from partner agencies that are part of EO 70.)
The E-CLIP is one of the government’s strategies to achieve inclusive development, social transformation, and just and lasting peace.
Since the program was first implemented in 2018, E-CLIP has been able to help 171 former rebels and extend total assistance packages amounting to more than P10.40 million.
Of the amount, some P2.65 million was in the form of immediate assistance; P4.8 million as livelihood assistance; P1.93 million as reintegration assistance, and P1.11 million for firearm remuneration.
Opportunity for a ‘new life’
The DILG and the Civil Relations Service of the AFP Visayas Command both consider the E-CLIP as an avenue that will lead to several opportunities for rebel returnees instead of looking at it as a reward for surrendering to the government.
“Ang E-CLIP assistance dili na siya reward money (it’s not a reward money) but an opportunity for them to start a new life as they go back to their communities. It’s actually to motivate the rebels to choose to live a normal and peaceful life,” said Maj. Joe Patrick Martinez, the head of the Civil Relations Group, Civil Relations Service of the AFP Visayas Command.
After returning to the folds of the law, Botilla said he is now enjoying the freedom of a “normal” life after receiving the benefits from the government under E-CLIP.
“Karon makaadto nami bisan asa dili na kontrolado among paglihok. Laron nakapanginabuhi nami. Ang among panginabuhi karon balik mi sa bukid, nag-uma mi, nagbuhi mi og mga hayop, nanamon og bisan unsa aron makalahutay pagbuhi sa among pamilya),” he said.
(Now we can go anywhere without someone controlling us where we should go. As for our livelihood, we went back to our community in the mountains. We do farming, raise animals, we do everything to survive and support our families.) (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
