A young former rebel (FR), alias “Kim," is excited about her graduation from senior high school this year and wants to tell her former communist terrorist group (CTG) comrades that there is a peaceful and productive life waiting for them when they avail of the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP. “Kim” is due to graduate in March along with other former rebels who have decided to surface, and she intends to take up a business and finance course in college.
She is one of the former rebels in Pagadian who enjoy the benefits under Task Force Balik-Loob’s (TFBL) E-CLIP, which include housing, livelihood, health and education. She is being supported and protected by an Army unit inside their camp while she is continuing her studies.
“Kim,” who thought she would never see her family again because she was forbidden by her former comrades to visit them, expressed her gratitude for the second chance offered by the government to FRs like her, “lalo na po kay President Rodrigo Duterte sa mga benepisyo para amin.”
When asked how she got into the CTG movement, she said it “started with being asked to attend indoctrination sessions” and before she realized it, she was in the mountains and became a “medic” attending to wounded and sick rebels. “Kim” added that
while in the mountains, she regretted her decision to join the organization, especially because she kept it a secret from her family and she stopped going to school. It was the reason why she decided to escape and approach government troops.
“Kim” is now looking forward to a better future and is helping the Philippine Army in preventing her fellow youth from experiencing what she went through inside the CTG. She is a volunteer who speaks in forums to expose the deceptive ways that the New People’s Army (NPA) recruits students and barangay residents in Pagadian.
“Kim” said her wish now is “masabi sa mga kapwa ko kabataan na hindi sagot sa kahirapan ang pagsali sa NPA at huwag sirain ang pag-aaral para umakyat sa bundok. Masuwerte ako kasi nakalabas pa ako; ang iba hindi pa. Sana, lahat ng mga hindi pa
bumabalik sa gobyerno ay bumalik na para mabago na rin ang buhay nila kasama ang pamilya nila, katulad ko ngayon.” ###
