Secretary Andanar: Anti-Insurgency program brought new hope to the lives of former rebels
MANILA - Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday attributed the weakening forces of the leftist groups because social services are now readily available to former rebels, bringing them new hope and renewed trust in the government.
In an interview,
Secretary Andanar said that over 18,000 rebels have already surrendered to the
authorities and have been given the appropriate reintegration programs,
especially in livelihood, education, and shelter.
“The reason they
came down is because they saw that the President is sincere about changes in
government, changes in our country,” he said during an interview with Allan
Abais on Sonshine Radio Davao’s Kumando 711.
“The reason why
these rebels went up to the mountains is because they never saw that chance of
hope before, but now they found a new hope knowing that there are changes done
by our President,” he added.
According to
Secretary Andanar, the reintegration programs offered to former rebels include
training and education through the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) and the Alternative Learning System (ALS) under the
Department of Education (DepEd).
Former rebels
(FRs) and their family members may opt to join these programs in order to be
more equipped and skilled, which they can use when they seek jobs.
The PCOO chief
also noted how the country has moved forward with the accomplishments of the
Duterte administration in infrastructure, citing that the government has spent
almost 5% of the country’s GDP on infrastructure.
“We always go
back to Marcos and talk about these triumphs in infrastructure. Now with the
Duterte Legacy, we have what we called the Golden Age of Infrastructure. After
this term we will be now referencing President Duterte when it comes to
accomplishments in infrastructure,” he said.
