Solon backs stronger NTF-ELCAC amid talks
The senator lamented that the government’s neglect of Filipinos in the far-flung communities has become the primary reason for joining the armed rebellion.
(Photo from Bong Go / Facebook)
Daily TribuneThe senator lamented that the government’s neglect of Filipinos in the far-flung communities has become the primary reason for joining the armed rebellion.
(Photo from Bong Go / Facebook)
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has called on the government to further strengthen the functions and programs of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict amid its push for peace negotiation with members of the Communist Party of the Party-New People's Army-National Democratic Front, CPP-NPA-NDF in Oslo.
Go, who heads the Senate Committee on National Defense, emphasized the need for the government to improve its programs and services to entice rebels to "rejoin mainstream society and to live with their families in peace."
Government programs and services must be felt in the grassroots and every community so that no one is left behind.
The senator lamented that the government's neglect of Filipinos in the far-flung communities had become the primary reason for joining the armed rebellion.
Address poverty
Go noted the need to resolve the poverty issues in the country, which he believes NTF-ELCAC has a great contribution to, citing the significance of the task force's Balik-Loob Program, which aims to reintegrate former rebels into mainstream society by offering them various forms of assistance and legal protections.
"Government programs and services must be felt in the grassroots and every community so that no one is left behind. Through these initiatives, the government can show its sincerity in uplifting lives and promoting peace," Go underscored.
The Balik-Loob Program, officially known as the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, or E-CLIP, was a key initiative of the Philippine government to urge rebels to return to the folds of the law.
"This lending program is one of the benefits of E-CLIP, aimed at helping former rebels establish or expand businesses, thereby facilitating their successful reintegration into civilian life," he said.
The program is being managed by the Task Force Balik-Loob, he added.