President Rodrigo Duterte assured communists and rebels who will surrender that the government is ready to provide livelihood and houses.

In his speech during his visit to the earthquake-affected evacuees of Cotabato at the M’lang National High School in the Municipality of M’lang, Cotabato, the President stressed that his administration will provide what the rebels need for as long as they surrender.

Duterte also led the turn-over of checks amounting to P5 million to the municipalities of M’lang and Arakan, as well as the ceremonial distribution of food packs to affected families.

Duterte said that the New People’s Army (NPA) no longer has any ideology and are just plain bandits and also revealed that he intends to talk with Communist Party of the Philippines CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison here in the Philippines, whom he also mocked for already being deaf.

The President added that he cannot understand why the CPP-NPA continue to fight government believing that they can still destroy the country despite them being in existence for half a century already.

Duterte noted that aside from providing them with livelihood assistance and houses, they can also rebuild their lives by studying at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).