FORMER REBEL TO BELIEVER: During the Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL) Inter-Agency Coordination Meeting on October 4, 2024, Alma Gabin, a former rebel, shared her journey from doubter of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to a believer in its benefits.

      Alma Gabin, a former rebel, shared her insights with the implementers of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) during an Inter-Agency Coordination Meeting held on October 4, 2024, in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City. 

          During the conference, she intimated her initial doubts about the effectiveness of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) in improving the lives of former rebels and their families, which changed when she began experiencing the impact of the benefits and services extended to her. Ms. Gabin was a former education deputy secretary of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee and a political officer of the Mt. Amandiwing Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Leyte. She now actively contributes to peace and development efforts as the president of the Eastern Visayas Peacebuilders and Development Federation Inc. She also founded the Uswag Sinirangan Bisayas Inc., a non-government organization focused on peacebuilding and environmental protection.

           Ms. Gabin also expressed her view that federating people’s organizations is the key to sustainable peace. The coordinating meeting highlighted continuous efforts to reintegrate former rebels into society and bolster grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.

       She also emphasized the significance of federalizing People’s Organizations (POs), noting the existence of 8,724 POs in Eastern Visayas. She believes that building strong federations of these POs is key to preventing the recovery of CPP-NPA-NDF groups in their former strongholds.

      “Kailangan din natin silang ma-consolidate at mabigyan ng pansin para tuloy-tuloy ‘yong developments sa mga barangays at hindi na sila mabalikan ng CPP-NPA-NDF,” Ms. Gabin said.

      Ms. Gabin further proposed the establishment of a national coordinating body to strengthen regional and provincial federations, cooperatives, and other former rebel organizations. The proposed body will enhance communication, collaboration, and capacity-building initiatives among the POs. She also stressed the need to revisit the goals of these organizations, improve internal communication, harmonize data management, and develop tailored training programs to sustain their growth.

      TFBL Chairperson Angelito M. De Leon, Undersecretary for Capability Assessment and Development of the Department of National Defense, acknowledged the participation of Ms. Gabin and Mr. Noel Legaspi, another former rebel who also shared his experience, as well as their insights on how the program can further be improved.

    “Mahalaga po ang kanilang presentasyon na ma-realize natin ang dapat nating mga gawin sa mga susunod pang mga panahon at ang kahalagahan ng gagawin natin from a post-conflict scenario phase na hindi po tayo maging kampante or we will be comfortable with our accomplishments. We must be able to sustain the gains of our successes and ensure that these gains are sustained by way of good governance at providing the services that our people need,” said Usec. De Leon.
 

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