TEN former members of the New People's Army (NPA) from the Manobo Dulangan Tribe and their families officially accepted their brand-new houses. The 10-unit housing village for former rebels is located in Sitio Lemangga, Midtungok village, Senator Ninoy Aquino town, Sultan Kudarat. The project was made by the national government through the National Housing Authority (NHA) in coordination with the municipal government of Senator Ninoy Aquino, the provincial government of Sultan Kudarat, the Philippine Army, and other partners. NHA-12 Regional Manager Engr. Zenaida Cabiles said the fully-furnished concrete houses with two bedrooms are the first 'new construction' housing village built specifically for former rebels in the Philippines under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. Cabiles said that the government allotted P450,000 to build a house for each beneficiary on a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title-covered land. Other NHA housing assistance schemes for former rebels include the acquisition of housing units in existing PNP/AFP housing projects in Davao Region and Northern Mindanao and housing repair worth P100,000. The troops of the 540th Engineer 'Kapayapaan' Battalion of the 54th Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army provided the labor for the building of the houses. The construction for the houses started in September 2021 with the NHA funding coursed through the 7th Infantry Battalion. Aside from the houses, the former rebels and their families also received P50,000 cash assistance each.
