MANILA, Philippines — The labor department has on Monday, 21 October 2019, allotted an initial P100-million emergency employment fund to former Moro rebels for their speedy transformation into productive members of the society.

This after DOLE signed an agreement with Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) extending the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Program (DILEEP), aimed to assist the socio-economic development and confidence-building of estimated 7,000 decommissioned MILF combatants.

“This partnership is focused on assisting former rebels to transition into civilian lives, and facilitate their transformation and the six MILF camps into peaceful and productive communities through employment facilitation, and sustainable livelihood assistance,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Under the agreement signed by Bello and Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., DOLE will assist on the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) Normalization Program through the provision of emergency employment under its TUPAD program.

Also, DOLE will provide employment facilitation programs and services to the former rebels under the Government Internship Program and Special Program for Employment of Students.

The labor chief said the initiatives aimed to support the Duterte administration’s agenda of just and lasting peace, by reaching out to former rebels and provide them with sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities, as the best solution to the root causes of violent extremism.

Meanwhile, Galvez noted DOLE as the first government agency along with TESDA, to be on hand in the implementation of the CAB Normalization Program of transforming six MILF camps into peaceful and resilient communities.

“We hope that through this collaboration, DOLE will continue to provide support during the succeeding stages of the normalization program and bring us closer to our vision of achieving ensuring peace and sustainable development in Bangsamoro,” Galvez said. (BCuaresma/IAmigo/CNS)