Zamboanga del Sur halfway house inaugurated

By JONG CADION

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PAGADIAN CITY (Jan. 21, 2021) - Zamboanga del Sur is now better equipped to cater to former rebels with the inauguration of the halfway house in Barangay Poblacion, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur on

Thursday, January 21, 2021.

The simple inauguration ceremony was graced by Western Mindanao Command Chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. and Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista.

In his message, Lt. Gen. Vinluan said, “In the past decades, we have been in conflict with our fellow countrymen but with our convergence of efforts, we have facilitated peaceful means to help our brothers and sisters return to the folds of the law.”

“With the opening of this halfway house which is intended to all those who wish to return to the mainstream society, we hope that more will be enlightened and encouraged to surrender,” Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. added.

More or less Php4M worth of halfway house was realized through the convergence of government agencies and sectors in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur. It is part of the whole-of-nation approach of the government to end local communist armed conflict in the province.

Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, the Commanding Officer of the 53rd Infantry Battalion said the halfway house will be the temporary shelter and processing center of the former rebels. It will serve as a venue for the conduct of rehabilitation and skills training activities for them to become productive citizens of the community.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor Yu said, “I am very happy that this project has been realized. Rest assured that we will continue to actively support the government’s campaign to end the decades-long conflict in the province”.

During the inauguration, Governor Yu and Secretary Bautista led the ribbon-cutting while Reverend Father Anthony Mark Tampus officiated the blessing of the building.

In his message, Secretary Bautista said the halfway house is a beautiful manifestation of good governance and strong interagency collaboration.

Also present during the inauguration ceremony were the members of the TF-ELCAC and the former rebels. (with report and photos for WestMinCom-PIO)