AROUND 135 former rebels, now called "friends rescued" (FRs), attended a five-day summit as part of the concerted efforts of the government to ensure their successful integration as peaceful and productive members of the society.
In a statement Monday, December 9, 2024, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (Opapru), said the summit was held from December 2 to 6 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
The summit was initiated by the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Government in collaboration with the Area Management Unit for Western Mindanao Local Conflict Transformation-Field Implementation Support Unit of Oparu.
The forum include a session on the National Government's amnesty program for FRs, especially those with pending criminal cases; the provision of additional capital under Project Good Life, which is being supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to help FRs improve their small-scale socio-economic and livelihood business provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), DTI, and Opapru; as well as the formulation of a Gender and Development, as well as Provincial Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
The Opapru said that selected FRs from Zamboanga del Sur have participated in a two-part consultation workshop themed, "Issued and Strategies for Preventing Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) Recovery and Sustaining Insurgency-Free Status in Key Areas.
The results of the workshop were then presented to partner government agencies and other line agencies by Roselyn Laurete, president of FR organization being handled by the Army's 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB).
The summit, which was designed to be a capacity-building event, turned out to be a family reunion, as 200 FRs who are currently being hosted by the 106IB, 97IB, 53IB, and the police were reunited with their families.
The FR summit culminated with the launching of the P5 million Zamboanga del Sur Peace and Development Center. The project was funded by O (SunStar Zamboanga)