A TOTAL of 473 members of former combatants of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA/ABB) now called “Kapatiran” in the province received livelihood assistance.
The distribution of assistance was led yesterday by Secretary Carlito Galves Jr., Peace Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (Opapp) at Nature’s Village Restaurant
The RPM-P/RPA/ABB is a breakaway group of the CPP-NPA in the late 90’s. They separated from CPP-NPA in 1996 due to ideological differences. Last year 2000, the RPM-P/RPA/ABB has signed a peace agreement with the Philippine Government.
Part of the government’s commitment is to provide provision for socio-economic interventions for the said group. This includes the Livelihood Settlement Grants (LSG), in which each profiled member of KAPATIRAN will receive an amount of P50,000 to support the establishment and continuity of their livelihood.
Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade Commander in his message emphasized, “It is a clear manifestation that our government is sincere in its commitment to the peace agreement to this group. Our Government simply aims to alleviate the lives of the members of Kapatiran in order for them to have a better life in the mainstream society”.
Also present during the distribution were Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, DSWD; Undersecretary Cesar Yano for Defense Operations, DND and co-chairman of JEMC GPH; Veronica Tabara, chairperson, Kapatiran; Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander; Lieutenant Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, commanding officer, 62nd Infantry Battalion; Major Danreb Canto, executive officer, 79th Infantry Battalion; Police Lieutenant Colonel Adrian Acollador, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office; Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, DSWD-Western Visayas director; Board Member Andrew Montelibano; E.B Magalona Mayor Marvin Malacon; San Carlos City Vice Mayor Christopher Paul Carmona; and Abang Lingkod Party-list representative Joseph Stephen Paduano. (TDE)