“We understand the frustrations and concerns of the former rebels and their families who have been eagerly awaiting the release of benefits. Rest assured, we are fully committed to resolving this issue promptly and efficiently." Elisa D. Evangelista-Lapiña, OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao Director said on Monday.
Lapiña said the issue of delayed E-CLIP benefits surfaced during the conduct of OPAPRU’s roll-out of the Transformation Program Planning Workshop conducted in regions 11, 12, and 13, earlier this year, where former rebels and various stakeholders raised these concerns in the plenary.
Lapiña said that OPAPRU understands the significance of these benefits in facilitating the successful reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society as she assured the FRs that it is presently addressing this matter urgently together with the proper agencies.
“That’s why we have elevated this concern to DND’s Task Force Balik-Loob so that they will be apprised with the situation from the ground. In fact, for OPAPRU’s part, we have attended recently a conference with the task force force to discuss and resolve this issue at hand, especially in the regions within our jurisdiction,” Lapiña said.
E-CLIP is a vital government initiative that aims to provide a comprehensive package of benefits and assistance to former rebels who have chosen the path of peace and have decided to return to the folds of the law.
“This program is not just about financial support, but also about enabling these individuals to rebuild their lives and become productive members of our communities,” Lapiña stressed.
The OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao official explained that more than 700 FRs have yet to receive their E-CLIP benefits these FRs are still being “verified” if they’re enrolled in the E-CLIP Information System maintained by the DILG.
“The delay in the release of benefits has not gone unnoticed, and we want to assure everyone that we are actively working to expedite the process. We are collaborating closely with the relevant agencies and local governments to ensure that the bureaucratic hurdles are minimized and that the benefits reach the deserving recipients without further delay,” Lapiña said. (PR)