TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) – In support of the government’s reintegration program for former rebels, a total of 147 individuals received financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 2 during a service caravan held at the 17th Infantry Battalion (17IB) camp in Lal-lo, Cagayan.
Nene (not her real name), a 19-year-old beneficiary, expressed her gratitude to the government for the P4,000 cash aid she received and shared her plans to turn it into a sustainable livelihood.
She intends to raise pigs, using part of the grant, while the remaining amount will go toward her family’s basic needs.
DSWD Regional Director Lucia S. Alan emphasized the importance of the Whole-of-Nation Approach in achieving long-term peace.
“Each of us has a vital role to play in attaining peace. The government cannot do it alone through its agencies. We are all here because we share the same goal — to live in a peaceful society,” Alan said.
She also thanked the former rebels for returning to the fold of the law, calling their decision a meaningful step toward building a more peaceful and hopeful future for their families.
The Whole-of-Nation Approach, institutionalized through Executive Order No. 70, series of 2018 — also known as the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) program — fosters collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, non-government organizations, civilians, and communities.
Alan noted that the DSWD plays a key role in the anti-insurgency effort by spearheading reintegration programs for former combatants.
“The beneficiaries began laying down their arms and leaving their mountain strongholds as early as 2016 in pursuit of a peaceful life with their families,” she added. (OTB/PIA Region 2 with reports from DSWD)
