At least 40 former fighters of the communist New People's Army (NPA) benefited from the PHP2.8 million worth of Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) assistance in Davao de Oro province on Thursday. Led by Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga, the cash assistance to the former rebels was sourced from the E-CLIP of the Department of the Interior and Local Government at the Davao de Oro Children's Park in Nabunturan town. Gonzaga also handed over PHP10,000 each to some 35 other former rebels under the provincial government's E-CLIP. The assistance was dispensed in time for the first-anniversary celebration of being an insurgency-free province since June 22, 2022. Gonzaga described the event as "a day of reflection, gratitude, and renewed determination" for the province. 'When we make peace through ways of peace, government truly works. I extend my gratitude to all the brave men and women who have tirelessly worked towards ensuring the safety and well-being of the province,' she said. Gonzaga also urged the public to combat all forms of insurgency to ensure a brighter and more prosperous future for the province.
Source: Philippines News Agency
