TWENTY-TWO peoples organizations composed mostly of former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and supporters in North Cotabato have received P300,000 each or a total of P6.6 million livelihood assistance from the government.

The assistance falls under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD.

The 22 recipient organizations also received certificate of accreditation from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Soccsksargen and provincial government of North Cotabato.

The distribution of livelihood assistance and certificate of accreditation was facilitated in a ceremony Tuesday, December 6, by DSWD-Soccsksargen and North Cotabato Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-Elcac) headed by Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.

The respective presidents and treasurers of the five organizations from Makilala, nine from President Roxas, four from Tulunan and four from Antipas all from North Cotabato represented their organizations and personally received their organizations' check.

The 22 organizations were organized by the Army’s 39th and 72nd Infantry Battalions of 10th Infantry Division after they withdrawn their support to the NPA and their communities were declared as insurgency cleared.

The SLP is a community-based development program geared towards improving the socio-economic status of the Peoples Organizations and their respective communities. (SunStar Zamboanga)