THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is pushing for the nationwide replication of the halfway house in Davao Oriental called Happy Home, where former rebels who have surrendered to the troops may stay prior to their integration into the society.
Captain Adrew Linao of the AFP Civil Relations Service (CRS), during the AFP-PNP Press Corps briefing on Wednesday, June 6, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, said that several provinces also want to copy the program.
“We wanted it to be replicated to different provinces nationwide,” Linao said.
Those eyeing to establish the same program are Northern Samar and provinces in Negros, Compostela Valley, Sarangani and Central Luzon.
He said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) allotted a budget of P5 million per province for the establishment of this as part of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (Clip) of the government.
“Sa ngayon iisa pa lang talaga yong sa Davao Oriental hopefully yong ibang provinces magkaroon sila at i-push through ng local chief executive or sa level ng Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC),” he said.
(As of now, there is only one, which is in Davao Oriental. Hopefully, the chief executive or the PPOC of other provinces would push for the establishment of a similar facility.)
He said having such a facility will further entice active rebels to lay down their arms and avail of government services through the Clip.
This will also be their temporary home while undergoing transition where they will be de-radicalized from their ideologies and become a productive citizen.
Government agencies, who are members of the Clip committee, are working hand in hand to provide the needed services of former rebels like education, livelihood and other social services.
“We see to it na matulungan ang FR (former rebels) na ma-integrate sila properly back to their community and their society. We’re planning sa package na iyon na after sa Happy Home,” he said.
After the rehabilitation program, it will then be the responsibility of the municipality to intervene by providing the former rebels the needed services as they return to the mainstream society.