The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr carries on the programs to assist former rebels (FRs) as they lived a renewed life, and to push for community development in areas previously under the influence of communist terrorist group.
In an interview, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director Alex Roldan revealed the continued implementation with funding support, for the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and for the Support to the Barangay Development Program (SBDP).
“Sa pagkakaron ang atong E-clip nagapadayon. Nahitabo lang nga dunay kalangan tungod kay nahurot ang pondo niadtong 2022, nag request ta ug budget. (At the moment, E-CLIP will continue. It so happened that there was delay because we ran out of 2022 budget; we have requested a budget),” he said.
“So duna tay pondo nga atong Ihatag ngadto sa mga rebel returnee, mosurender sa gobyerno so wala sila’y kabalak-an moingon nga nawala na ang proyekto, nagpadayon ni siya. (We now have the funds to give to the rebel returnee who surrender to the government. So, they no longer have something to worry about that have made them said that the project is dissolved. This is continued),” he said.
Based on DILG data on E-CLIP presented during the first full council meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), there were already E-CLIP funds that were downloaded in February 2023 to DILG Field Offices for distribution.
A total of Php 2.021 Million was downloaded in February 2023 to Davao de Oro for 26 former rebels; Php1.706 Million for 39 FRs in Davao del Sur; and Php 3.727 Million for 51 FRs in Davao de Oro.
On process for downloading in March 2023 is Php 2.666 Million for 31 FRs in Davao Oriental.
DILG XI further revealed that the P1,722,000 Davao de Oro request for E-CLIP funding intended to benefit 27 FRs is still pending at the Central Office as of March 2023.
There are also requests that are still subject for evaluation as of March, and are still pending at the E-CLIP Information System at the regional level. These are requests from Davao del Norte amounting to P2,415,000 for 115 FRs; P6,010,570 of Davao Oriental for firearms renumeration and other benefits of 21 FRs; and P774,000 of Davao Oriental for 10 FRs.
Meanwhile, Regional Director Roldan said that SBDP additjonal funds are due for release to cleared barangays while ongoing BDP projects are mandated to continue because funds were already downloaded to implementing LGUs.
“Kadtong mga nasugdan dili na pwede undangon, naana ang pondo niana. Dili pwede moingon sila nga nasugdan na unya undangon; tungod ang pondo nanaug na tanan ngadto sa mga LGUs. (Those that have started, should continue because these have been funded. They cannot discontinue implementing thes because the funds were already handed down to LGUs.),” he said referring to the BDP projects in 2022.
Davao Region is appropriated in 2023 a total of Php508,729,927.00 fresh SBDP funds for 77 cleared barangays which will be receiving each a funding of Php6,606,882.17 to put on ground their respective priority projects.
Davao City has one recipient barangay; Davao Occidental, 10; Davao del Sur, three; Davao del Norte, four; Davao Oriental, 15; and Davao de Oro, 44.
Per National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NT-ELCAC) memorandum dated December 22, 2022, the fund allocation per barangay is intended for priority projects particularly farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water sanitation systems, health stations and electrification projects. (PIA XI, Jeane Duron Abangan)
