THIRTEEN Lumad minors rescued in Cebu will be given livelihood assistance by the government, a police official said.

Staff Sgt. Norkaya Dica of the Police Regional Office-Region 11 said that the group will undergo trainings to be conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The Department of Education will also step in to see to it that the minors will continue their studies.

The minors recently finished a family reintegration program in Mabini, Davao de Oro, where they got to bond with their family members at a beach in Compostela Valley.

“The minors had videoke and parlor games with their parents. They also enjoyed the beach as most of them said it was their first time to go swimming,” Dica said.

“Now, they are already interacting. We allowed them to go home to their families for two days last week and we have not seen any problems so far,” she said.

The Lumad children were rescued on February 15 at the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus. The police claimed that they were being trained as future New People’s Army combatants.

The minors are currently housed at the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

“Prior to the family event, the participants had to quarantine after one minor tested positive for Covid19. They are all safe now, showing cooperation and trusting their Philippine National Police handlers who have been with them all along the process of their quarantine and isolation,” Dica said.