The Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said it continues to provide services to former rebels to bolster their economic capacity and prepare for reintegration into the community through the Kalinaw Village.
CSWDO Technical Assistant Ms. Bevce Mari J. Ticon, in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio Monday, said that from 2019, Kalinaw Village has already catered to a total of 353 former rebels and facilitated various trainings to help them reintegrate into the community.
“Ang CSWDO naa ta’y ginatawag nga half-way house or the Kalinaw Village nga ang CSWDO naga-supervise, diha temporaryong nagpuyo ang former rebels, 4-6 months mag-undergo sila og series of activities (CSWDO supervises a half-way house called the Kalinaw Village where former rebels undergo a series of activities for 4-6 months),” she said.
The Kalinaw Village also offers spiritual and religious activities, and provides psychosocial intervention, educational assistance, and skills training in partnership with various national government offices for the “residents”.
“The moment musulod sila sa Kalinaw Village willing gyud sila mu-cooperate sa tanan activities didto. Ang ilang panglantaw ana is makatabang sila sa ilahang pamilya nga pagbalik nila prepared na kaayo sila nga dili na sila makahuna huna pagbalik pa sa pikas (The moment they enter the Kalinaw Village, they are really very willing to cooperate in the activities because they see that these activities can really help their families once they go back and that they are really well-prepared and will not think to rejoin rebel groups), “ Ticon said.
She added that as of the moment, Kalinaw Village’s oldest resident is 60-year-old. There are also 20-30 years old and they even have a female who just gave birth to a child.
Ticon said that social workers will assess if the residents are ready to be reintegrated into the community and this is done through interviews and until the “tools” used by social workers are satisfied.
“Each former rebel has a reintegration plan,” Ticon said.
The residents’ community social preparation plans are also in place once they return to their communities.
Meanwhile, while inside the Kalinaw Village, the families of the former rebels also stay for one night, a minimum of two families every Saturday.
During their stay, the rebels’ financial assistance from various government offices is also processed and it may be released during or after their stay.
Ticon said many former rebels who finished their programs have established themselves in various contributing fields.
“Ang uban nagtrabaho na, nag-apply as military, auxiliary, and also naa ta dira karon sa Toril nga gipakita ang manukan and sagingan, (Others have already found jobs for themselves, some applied for military and auxiliary, and we also have a resident from Toril who showed us his livestock and banana plantation),” Ticon said.
Ticon encouraged those who want to seek refuge in the Kalinaw Village to reach out to the LGU, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Non-Government Organizations, and Civil Service Organizations (CSOs).
They can also be reached through this hotline: 227-1617.
