AgSur trains former rebels
SAN LUIS, Agusan del Sur – The Provincial Economic and
Enterprises Development Office (PEEDO) of Agusan del Sur in collaboration with
the 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion (26IB), Philippine Army conducted a
3-day livelihood training to the former rebels (FRs) of the municipality of San
Luis on July 27 to 29, 2021 held in Barangay DoΓ±a Maxima, San Luis, this
province.
The said training was conducted in support to the Executive Order No. 70
(EO 70), a government policy on "Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation
Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict" in attaining inclusive and
sustainable peace mandating all government agencies to prioritize the delivery
of basic services in marginalized communities.
As intended beneficiaries of the EO 70, 19 FRs from the said municipality
underwent training on Meat Processing and Calamansi Juice Making. "Through
the EO 70, the local government units and agencies are working together in
serving various initiatives to help sustain the needs of the former rebels for
them to be reintegrated back to the community, be with their families, and
start over with their new lives especially during this time of health
crisis," said Mayor Phoebe L. Corvera.
The PEEDO-AgSur is one of the government agencies that provide
livelihood training and seminars to the local communities encouraging them to
be resourceful with the local products to become consumable according to the
demand of the consumers. “Our goal is to provide inevitable knowledge and
techniques in entrepreneurship with their local products readily available
according to the highest economical standard in the market, as well as to open
opportunities to those who are planning to start a small business on their
own," bared Honelyn L. Husian, Technical Staff of PEEDO.
Alias ‘Shaolin’, one of the FRs, expressed his gratefulness to the
government. "Daghan salamat sa tanan nga nagpasiugda aning maong training
kung diin gitudluan mi ug unsaon paghimu ug longanisa, mga tocino ug uban pang
produkto gamit ang karne ug dili lang kana gitudloan usab kami unsaon paghimu
ug calamansi juice kung diin pwede namong mahimo produkto nga ikabaligya sa mga
dagkong tindahan. Kini pipila lamang sa mga programa nga gihatag alang kanamo
aron kami matabangan sa pagpaningkamot alang sa among panginabuhian sa among pag
balik sa sabakan sa panggamhanan (Thank you to all the agencies involved in
this training wherein we learned how to process meats like longanisa and
tocino. We also learned how to produce calamansi juice which could also be sold
to big stores. These are just some of the many programs offered to us as we
return to the folds of the law," he said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Reynald Romel A. Goce, Commanding Officer of 26IB
commended the PEEDO for such initiative. "I am glad that the local
government agencies in AgSur were adopting and implementing EO 70 as mandated
by President Duterte. This action will surely amplify in addressing the
socio-economic issues that are used by the CPP-NPA in poisoning the minds and
hearts of our people,” he shared.
“This is a re-integration strategy that empowers the FRs and their
families to be more economically-resilient and it will provide opportunities
for them to be economically active citizens of their community. With the
continuous collaboration and cooperation of the different line agencies to
unite and act as one, this will manifest that this armed conflict will soon
come to an end. Teamwork is the key to attain a more peaceful and progressive
community," added Goce. (2Lt Cecille Tappa, CMO officer, 26IB, PA/PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
