TWENTY one former rebels received a combined ₱1,780,117.86 in financial and transitional assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting held at the Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center on May 14.
The Department of Health and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Agusan del Norte also provided the beneficiaries with essential goods, food packs, blankets, and mats to support their transition back into civilian life.
The meeting was marked by a personal reflection from Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) chief, Lieutenant General Adonis Ariel G. Orio, who noted the positive contrast in Agusan del Norte’s security landscape compared to decades past.
“I first served in this area as a young lieutenant,” Orio told council members. “Now, after 34 years in military service, I know the terrain, I know the communities, and I know the enemy that once operated here. That is why, as far as peace and order in Agusan del Norte is concerned, I can say with confidence that the situation has significantly changed, and today, peace is truly being felt by our people.”
Orio believes that the sustained, inter-agency pressure and civil-military collaboration will soon transition Agusan del Norte into a state of “stable internal peace and security,” ultimately clearing the path for an entirely insurgency-free Caraga Region.
The PPOC meeting brought together top brass from the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division—including commanders from the 401st and 402nd Infantry Brigades—alongside regional directors from law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The event also saw the active participation of the United Caraganon for Peace & Development Federation, Inc. (UCPDFI), an organization specifically representing people’s organizations formed by former rebels.
Military officials reiterated that the E-CLIP payouts are a core pillar of their strategy to demonstrate that choosing a peaceful path yields tangible economic security and genuine reconciliation for former combatants.
