Ex-CPLA rebels take to organic farming

From the Manila Times (Sep 21): Ex-CPLA rebels take to organic farming

At least 30 former rebels and members of the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development (formerly the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army) went through hands-on training in organic farming as part of the livelihood program from the government.

Members of the Benguet Saguday Livelihood Association (BSLAI), the CFPD people’s organization in the province of Benguet, were given an on-site lecture and hands-on training for the organic feeds processing and organic free-range chicken raising by farmer scientist Eric Tinoyan at his demo farm in Klondykes, Camp 1 in Tuba, Benguet.

According to Charlotte Matias, Project Development Officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Cordillera (DSWD-CAR), the training is part of the livelihood package of the Community-Driven Enterprise Development (CDED), a process adopted by the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the DSWD.

Matias said that the CDED hopes to contribute to poverty reduction by promoting enterprise activities at the community level. It hopes to generate opportunities for self-employment through business skills training and improved participation in value chains.

The livelihood program is part of the economic reintegration- a step towards the disposition of arms and forces and the transformation of CPLA into a socio-economic unarmed force. It is a commitment of the government for the socio-economic integration of CFPD members under the 2011 Memorandum of Agreement between the government and the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) – Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA).

Last month, Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan signed the memorandum of agreement with BSLAI for the provision of livelihood funds from the provincial government.

Livelihood funds worth P2.7M allotted for the CFPD PO in Benguet is for the BSLAI members to practice and advocate organic farming for income generation, conservation of natural resources, food self-sufficiency and social development.

Matias explained that originally, the group was composed of 62 members after the profiling conducted but several members opted to join the Bantay Gubat or forest guards of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and some were integrated in the Armed Forces of the Philippines as members of the Philippine Army.

CFPD Political Officer Miguel Tuyawan the training program, which is part of the livelihood package for the former rebels, only shows the commitment of the government in delivering the packages as agreed upon in the MOA between them and the Philippine Government.

http://www.manilatimes.net/ex-cpla-rebels-take-to-organic-farming/42061/