Monday, September 14, 2020

Kalinaw News: Former rebels reap in the Arm-to-Farm Program

Posted to Kalinaw News (Sep 14, 2020): Former rebels reap in the Arm-to-Farm Program
IMPASUGONG, BUKIDNON. September 14- Former Rebels (FR) reap substantial amount of vegetable root crop (camote) under the Arm-to-Farm Program of the 8th Infantry “Dependable” Battalion (8IB) last September 07, 2020.

The plantation is situated just adjacent to the location of the 8IB at Impasug-ong Magbuliga Development Complex, Barangay Poblacion, Impasug-ong Bukidnon, which is currently owned by the Local Government of Unit (LGU) of Impasug-ong.
20 former rebels considered the time of harvesting the products as a way of bonding with their respective families. Their effort in planting and taking care of the root crop greatly paid off as they harvested and substantially gained from the sales thereof.

Alias Helen, a former rebel, shared her story while harvesting the vegetable crops with her family, “Mapasalamaton ko sa 8IB ilabi na sa lokal nga pangagamhanan sa Impasugong nga ila ko gidawat dinhi unya gitabangan ko nila nga makasugod og usab sa akong bag-ong kinabuhi,” (I am thankful to the 8IB especially to the LGU of Impasugong for accepting me and for helping me start a new life.)

She further said, “Lahi ra gayud ang akoang kahimtang sa una nga naa ko sa kalihukan nga grabe gayud kalisud. Karon malipayon kaayo ko uban ang akong pamilya. Manghinaot ko nga magmalungtaron kini nga programa kay dako kaayo kini nga tabang para kanamong mga kanhing rebelde.” (My life is very different when I was still in the NPA where life was so difficult. Now I am delighted to start anew along with my family. I am hopeful that this program would last because it greatly helped us former rebels).

“Kini usa ka tin-aw nga kamatuoran sa kining yunit nga gapaningkamot sa pagpangita ug paghatag og mga tabang sa mga kanhing rebelde samtang sila temporaryo nga nagpuyo sulod sa kampo ug nag-andam sa ilang kaugalingon sa paghiusa usab sa punoan nga katilingban. Kini nga yunit kauban ang ubang ahensya sa gobyerno magpadayon sa paghatag sa mga pagpangilabot sa mga andam nga mobalik sa sabakan sa balaod” said LTC Edgardo V Talaroc Jr, Commanding Officer of the 8IB. (It is a vivid example of how this unit works to seek and bring efforts in providing interventions to the former rebels as they temporarily live inside the camp and prepare themselves in reintegrating into mainstream society. This unit together with other government agencies will continue to provide interventions to those who are willing to return to the folds of the law.)

The Arm to-Farm program was crafted by the 8IB in coordination with the LGU Impasugong to provide agriculture-based livelihood opportunities for former rebels while they temporarily live inside the military camp. The remaining .7 hectare of the donated farmland are planted with Adlai crops that will soon be harvested in December 2020. Further, the said LGU lend another three (3) hectares of land which are currently planted with corn seeds from the Department of Agriculture 10 and are expected to be harvested also in December.





[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/former-rebels-reap-in-the-arm-to-farm-program/

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