Cabadbaran City, AGUSAN DEL NORTE- On April 13, 2023, the 29th Infantry (Matatag) Battalion, in partnership with the 2nd Congressional District Representative of Agusan del Norte, Hon. Dale B. Corvera, the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte under the leadership of Hon. Ma Angelica Rosedell M Amante, the Local Government Unit of Cabadbaran City headed by Hon. Judy Chin-Amante, and the National Housing Authority with their Regional Manager Engr. Erasme G. Madlos and other local government officials held the Turn Over Ceremony of the Completed Housing Units for the Former Rebels.
Seventeen (17) former rebels received their certificates of award and keys of responsibility for the completed housing units. The first-ever housing project is funded by the National Housing Authority and assisted by the 2nd District Congressional Representative Government and the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte as part of the government’s Enhanced Local Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) that aims to help and secure the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and Militia ng Bayan (MB) who returned to the folds of law.
Rudelyn Pinao, a former regular member of the Communist-Terrorist Group, tearfully expressed her gratitude to the government and said, “Nagapasalamat ko sa mga ahensiya sa gobyerno nga nagtinabangay para lang mag padayun kini nga proyekto tungod kay dako kayo nakong kalipay kay diri sa Agusan del Norte kami ang unang naka avail ug nakadawat niini nga housing project. Walay susamang kalipay akong gibati karon tungod kay ako na gyud ni nga balay. Dili gyud namo ni afford nga balay pero naa mi karon diri mudawat sa balay nga gihatag sa gobyerno. Sauna nag-atubang mig crisis nga dili namo makauban among pamilya, kagutom ug magtago-tago sa balaod karon ako saksi gyud nga tinud-anay gyud kining panaad sa gobyerno nga kumpleto mi nga mupuyo sa among balay.” (“I am grateful to the government agencies that helped to keep this project going. I am very grateful because we are the first one to avail and receive this housing project. I cannot compare the happiness that I am feeling right now because I am the owner of this house now. We can’t afford the house but we are now here accepting the house that was given to us by the government. In the past, we are facing a crisis where we can’t be with our family, hunger and we are always afraid of the government and now I am now a witness to the promise of the government that has been fulfilled, that we will live with a complete family in our house.”
LtCol Cresencio C Gargar, the Commanding officer of 29th Infantry (Matatag) Battalion, shared his joy with the recipients and gave a gentle reminders to the former rebels to take good care of the house. “Pinakita talaga ng gobyerno na binigyan tayo ng pabahay, ng livelihood. Pero meron din tayong mga kapatid na nasa taas pa. Nawa’y makumbinsi na natin silang bumalik na sa tamang landas. Sa kani-kanilang pamilya” (The government has already shown us, they gave us this housing project and livelihood. But we still have those who are still in the mountains. I hope that we can help them return to the right path.)
According to Hon. Dale Corvera, “Dili kamo mabalaka atong mga kaigsoonan kay dili namo ni undangan kay kini ang timailhan nga sinsero ang gobyerno sa mga gisaad nga kamo mubalik sa sabakan sa atong gobyerno. Daghan pa nga housing project atong himoon sama ani sa mga umaabot nga katuigan” (You don’t have to worry, our brothers and sisters; we will not stop this because this is the symbol that the government is sincere with its promise to help you return to the fold of the law. There are many housing projects like this will be constructed in the years to come.)
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