QUEEN MARGARETTE HOTEL, LUCENA CITY, QUEZON— The DILG IV-A, in collaboration with the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), successfully hosted the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) Regional Summit, from October 16-17, 2024. Brandishing the theme of “Maximizing Opportunities for Reintegration Efforts,” the summit was joined by stakeholders such as Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL), Armed Forces of the Philippines Peace and Development Office (AFPPDO), ECLIP Implementers, DILG Provincial Directors and Focal Persons, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), public and private sectors, Former Rebels (also known as Friends Rescued or FRs) and other attendees to discuss their best practices in order to enhance the program’s implementation.

Over the summit’s two-day course, eight (8) FRs received financial assistance from the DILG, followed by a ceremonial turnover of firearms which symbolized their abandonment of the armed struggle. The FRs highlighted their experiences in recruitment by Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) and how ECLIP provided avenues for their reintegration to society.

Workshops on various related topics were also conducted, such as:

– Transformation Package: Healing and Reconciliation Framework & Process

– DSWD Case Management – Inclusive – Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns

– NAP P/CVE Overview and Updates

– The Journey to Community-Based Restoration and Reconciliation (CBRR)

The Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) is one of the DILG’s foremost programs, and part of the “Whole-of-Nation” approach to address the root causes of insurgencies and armed conflicts by prioritizing the security, legal status, and rehabilitation needs of the former rebels, including their economic, social, and psychological support.