North Cotabato soldiers turning to farming as ceasefire holds

From the Philippine News Agency (May 1): North Cotabato soldiers turning to farming as ceasefire holds

With the relatively stable peace and order condition in its jurisdiction in North Cotabato and parts of Maguindanao, members of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen, North Cotabato will go into corn farming for food and to increase their income, an Army official said.

Newly-promoted Brig. Gen. Manolo Samarita, 602nd Infantry Brigade commander, said that soldiers will plant corn inside the 200-hectare camp so that soldiers and their families will have additional income.

“The peace process in Mindanao has provided breathing space for our troops,” Samarita said, referring to the government’s ceasefire agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“President (Rodrigo) Duterte, through Agriculture Sec. (Manny) Pinol, has vowed to give the brigade one tractor, seeds and other farm inputs,” Samarita told reporters.

To effectively manage the farming activities of infantrymen, elements of the 602nd Army brigade have formed a cooperative.

The 602nd Brigade covers areas where MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members operate.

With the ceasefire mechanism working well, the soldiers can now venture into productive farming, Samarita said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/984052