BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said 52 more barangays of Negros Occidental were liberated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines from the influence and control of the New People’s Army.
Twenty-eight former rebels in Negros Oriental received financial assistance from the Guihulngan City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
The 52 barangays recently received television sets with learning modules, that will guide the barangay officials in crafting development plans, and also contained government peace and development programs and projects that they could avail of, the DILG added.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the launching of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) TV Aralan Series to 52 additional barangays of Negros Occidental that were cleared of communist rebels, in a ceremony at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City recently.
Twenty-five barangays of Negros Occidental, that were declared free from insurgents, also received similar tools last month.
The RCSP TV Aralan Series is a program of the DILG in Region 6, in partnership with the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Lacson said the RCSP Program is appropriate and suitable for the provincial government’s quest to strengthen the community support initiatives, and is expected to bring more developments in conflict-affected communities.
Meanwhile, the Guihulngan City ELCAC turned over P273,000 in financial assistance to 28 former rebels, who used to be affiliated with the NPA Leonardo Panaligan Command in central Negros. Ka Mel, who surrendered an M16 rifle, received P45,000, while Ka Sammy, who turned over two 357 caliber revolvers got P24,000. Ka Dim and Ka Noky also received P12,000 each for surrendering two .38 caliber revolvers, the 62nd Infantry Battalion said.*