Due to poverty and lack of education, many residents have been brainwashed by elements of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army into taking up their cause.
Some people abandoned their normal lives and believed the lies touted by the dissidents. After some time with the rebel movement, these civilians decided to surrender to the government but they do not have homes to return to.
So to ensure that these surrenderers will not be forced to return to the communist group, the local government of Can-avid in Eastern Samar plans to provide them with decent homes to start their new lives.
Mayor Vilma Germino issued the statement following the groundbreaking of the “Saad na Balay” (promised houses) project to benefit former members of the New People’s Army.
Germino said at least 10 houses, each worth PHP272,642 and designed half-concrete and half-fiber boards, will be initially built for the former rebels in Can-avid, she said.
“The goal is to provide a decent home to former rebels and encourage remaining active New People’s Army members to surrender and reintegrate into the normal community,” she said.
The project is a collaborative effort among the provincial and municipal governments, the Philippine Army, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
As part of the project, beneficiaries will receive training from TESDA on carpentry and masonry skills, making them the primary workforce during the construction of their homes.
They will be enrolled in the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage/Displaced Workers program of the DOLE to provide them with income during the construction phase.
Livelihood assistance and other capacity-building interventions will also be provided to them.
Before the groundbreaking ceremony, OPAPRU Area Management Unit-Eastern Visayas chief Imelda Bonifacio told stakeholders and beneficiaries that the project is beyond physical structures.
“The focus of the ‘Saad Na Balay’ project aims to promote peace and resilience within the community. By engaging in dialogue and consultations with project beneficiaries, OPAPRU ensures a conflict-sensitive approach that aligns with its mission,” Bonifacio said. (With reports from PNA)
Caption: A FRESH START. The proposed design of houses for former rebels in Can-avid, Eastern Samar. The project aims to encourage former rebels not to return to armed struggle. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)
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