Fish farm harvest 'best Christmas gift' for AgNor ex-rebels

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 28, 2022): Fish farm harvest 'best Christmas gift' for AgNor ex-rebels (By Alexander Lopez)

GOOD HARVEST. Some 38 former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who formed a livelihood organization reap the fruits of their efforts as they made the first harvest from their tilapia production project in Barangay Alubihid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte on Dec. 23, 2022. The former NPA rebels surrendered from 2020 to this year to the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion of the Army. (Photo courtesy of 23IB)

BUTUAN CITY – A group of former combatants of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) is now reaping the hard work they spent on their freshwater fish farming project, five months after conceptualizing the initiative.

The New Life Masigasig Farmers Association (NLMFA) is composed of 38 former NPA guerrillas from Agusan del Norte who surrendered to the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) in 2020.

Aiming to be productive members of their communities, NLMFA members developed a small portion of land in Barangay Alubihid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte for a tilapia production project in July.

“When I decided to abandon the communist movement earlier this year, my focus was shifted into developing a project that will help the other former rebels gain some income, Tatay Apang, the NLMFA chairperson, said in an interview Wednesday.

Apang said NLMFA was formed in June and was registered as a legitimate organization with the Department of Labor and Employment in the province in July.

“After the registration, we underwent training on tilapia production which was facilitated by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in Agusan del Norte (TESDA-ADN),” Apang said.

TESDA-ADN also provided the organization with the needed tilapia fingerlings when the fish farming project was started in July, he added.

“We are thankful to Lt. Col. Jeffrey Balingao, the commander of the 23IB, Dir. Rey Cueva of TESDA-ADN, and Gov. Angel Amante of the provincial government of Agusan del Norte for this opportunity and continued support,” he said.

The group finally had their tilapia harvest two days before Christmas, collecting more than 200 kilos and sold at PHP100 per kilo in the market.

“This is a great gift to us this Christmas. The good harvest gave us the motivation to continue this project,” Apang said.

He said initial income will be used to expand the project and develop it further for increased productivity.

Alias Rey, NLMFA vice chairperson, said the former rebels felt proud of the success of the fish farming project.

“Some of our members are planning to duplicate the project in their respective communities. Tilapia farming is very promising,” he said.

The project, he added, also served as a therapy for most of them who had undergone violent lives when inside the NPA movement.

“The path of life that I chose now is very different from what we lived before. Now there is peace and a brighter future for our families and children,” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1191605