BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental has provided a total of P1,250,000 in educational assistance to the next-of-kin of former rebels in the province.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program (NOSP) head Karen Dinsay led the recent ceremonial distribution of assistance with each Kapatiran Next-of-Kin program grantee receiving P5,000.
The said program is an initiative by the provincial government to provide educational assistance to the immediate family members of former rebels, particularly those associated with the Kapatiran, formerly known as Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade.
It is part of the government’s broader efforts to promote peace and development by supporting the reintegration of former combatants and their families into mainstream society.
Gov. Lacson expressed his gratitude to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, as well as the Philippine Army and Philippine National Police, for their support in implementing the province’s peace and order initiatives.
Such partnerships, he said, aim to strengthen peace and order initiatives by addressing the educational needs of families affected by insurgency, thereby fostering a more inclusive and peaceful society.
The Kapatiran group is a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). They have entered into peace agreements with the government, and programs like the Kapatiran Next-of-Kin are part of the commitments to support their transition to peaceful civilian life./PN
