24 APRIL 2023 | Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City- The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), through the leadership of CDA Assistant Secretary Pendatun Disimban, participated in the Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL)’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Amnesty Program (EAP) Cluster’s 1st Quarter Meeting and Fellowship.
The meeting’s agenda includes the presentation of the E-Clip accomplishment/implementation updates, a discussion to seek inputs on updating Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) issues, the way forward, and concerns raised by different agencies. During the meeting, they also introduced the new Chairperson of the TFBL, Usec. Angelito M. De Leon, who presided over the open forum.
Accomplishments of the CDA were presented and CDA Deputy Administrator Ray Elevazo, who represented CDA Asec. Disimban in this meeting, raised the issues and concerns of the CDA.
The meeting was attended by various government agencies other than the CDA, such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Housing Authority (NHA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Technical and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Landbank of the Philippines (LBP), Department of Health (DOH), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The Executive Director of TFBL Arsenio R. Andolong presented the E-CLIP accomplishments a total of 37,413 Former Rebels (FRs) and Former Violent Extremists (FVEs) surrendered from 2016 to the present, the breakdown of FRS and FVES surrenders with a total of 2, 850, a total of 6,148 surrendered firearms from 2016- March 2023, a total breakdown of 545 surrenders from January- March 2023. At the event, Dir. Andolong also presented the accomplishments of the CDA, with a 7,123 total number of FRs assisted from 2016- March 2023, 169 total FRs assisted from January-March 2023, and 39 total established cooperatives and associations.
The highlights of the meeting are the Open Forum in which they discussed the Issues and concerns and categorized them into seven (7) parts 1. Budget Constraints 2.) Surrender Data 3. Endorsement of FRs/ FVEs 4.) JAPIC certification 5.) Policy Related (DSA, JMC, ETC.) 6.) Information System Related 7.) Other Issues and Concerns. CDA DA Elevazo raised the issues and concerns of the CDA, such as the budget proposal to provide financial assistance to organized cooperatives among FRs and conflict-affected communities, which was disapproved by the Department of Budget and Management; the CDA is dependent on the endorsement by the concerned agencies/ LGUs as to the FRs/FVEs readiness to undergo Technical Assistance Service like seminars or orientations and formalities of cooperative registration; and the coordination activities with other program stakeholders to effectively participates and efficiently deliver a package of intervention. All the issues and concerns were noted by the TFBL secretariat and assured that they will take some action to better resolve the issues with the cooperation and involvement of the different agencies involve.
The meeting ended with the message of Usec. Angelito M. De Leon, Chairperson of the TFBL with his parting words “Ang kinakailngan natin e ma sustain ito at mabigyan natin ng buhay ang mga pinapangako nating benepisyo para s ating mga kapatid na bumabalik”. He also mentioned that each agency must take part of their roles and work together with the help of the TFBL secretariat.
By:
Johaira S. Limbao
CDA Project Development Officer
