DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Above the din of the training room, a baby's cry was heard followed by the soft voice of a young mother hushing and rocking the fragile bundle in her arms.
The nursing mother was 23-year-old "Adela," one of the former New People's Army (NPA) rebels who have returned to the folds of the law.
She sneaked out from the harsh life in the boondocks to reunite with her family and her community. After seven years in the communist movement, she could not find any change for the better in her life.
In fact, she had suffered too much more than she had been promised.
Adela's life was miserable as an NPA rebel.
Then one day, she decided that enough is enough as a guerrilla fighter, as she could not anymore tolerate her miserable life.
She was itching to live a normal life away from the dangers of being an Amazon (woman fighter).
Intensely looking at her new-born child in her arms, she was full of compassion, determined to give her daughter a normal life when she grows up. The new baby in her arms has further inspired her to turn a new leaf.
Like Adela, 33-year-old "Rico" got tired of the battles he had waged for seven years as a high-ranking officer in the Communist movement.
He could no longer bear to see innocent civilians being killed in encounters and meet his wife and kids only once or twice in a year.
Being with his family also matters to 36-year-old "Jojo," who, after five years of fighting the military, decided to come down because he has been worried about his two children.
Separated from his wife, he has been left to fend for his children who are struggling to continue their studies. Jojo felt it is time that he serves them as their father.
Adela, Rico and Jojo are among the hopeful returnees who are now rebuilding their shattered lives and dreams through the government's Social Integration Program (SIP).
Assisted by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the three former NPA rebel leaders and 46 others were the first batch to undergo a three-day livelihood skills training facilitated by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 11 at the Southern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Tugbok, Davao City.
Their batch has also been granted P 2.45 million worth of livelihood support under the SIP on top of the P20,000 immediate cash grant previously handed to every one of them.
Each family has received assistance amounting to P50,000 in kind which include livestock, farm implements, seedlings or sari-sari store, depending of what they chose.
The grant is modest but valuable enough to enable the former guerrillas to start anew a life as law- abiding citizens. (PNA)
Showing posts with label OPAPP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OPAPP. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Photo: The President's Men - Rodolfo Garcia and Hermogenes Esperon
A government photo shows Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., right, shakes hands with Rodolfo Garcia, former chairman of the government peace panel negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, for his "meritorious service" during an honorary dinner at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City recently. Manila calls on the MILF to lay down their arms before peace talks could resume.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Military Rally Behind New Arroyo Peace Adviser
MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 24, 2008) – Military commanders in Mindanao vowed to support the new government peace adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo last week named Esperon as the new Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, a post previously held by Jesus Dureza, now Press Secretary. Esperon, 56, retired early this month ending decades of glorious past from being a decorated combat commander in the strife-torn Mindanao to peace builder in Sulu.
“From being a military commander to peace maker, we know Secy. Hermogenes Esperon will certainly work hard to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao. He knows the problem in Mindanao very well because he had told us many times in the past that the only solution to insurgency problems is peace and development.”
“Secy. Esperon had always told us to support the government peace process because fighting is not the solution to the problems of Mindanao. The solution, he said always, is sincerity to the peace process and peace we shall achieve, he would always say. And Secy. Esperon served well during his time as military chief and we see peace finally coming,” Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Mindanao, told the Mindanao Examiner.
Ando said the soldiers are also behind Esperon and supportive of the government peace process.
Manila is currently negotiating peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group fighting for independence in the South. Besides the MILF, the government is trying to revive peace talks with the communist New People’s Army rebels, which is also fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the Philippines.
The MILF said it would want to see the resumption of the stalled peace talks and how Esperon would be able to help in finding a just and lasting solution to the Muslim insurgency problems in Mindanao.
In Zamboanga City, the Western Mindanao Command, which secures half of the southern Philippines, also threw its support to Esperon, who was previously the chief of the now defunct Southern Command.
“We knew how the General put his efforts in maintaining peace in Mindanao. He would be the last military commander who would want to see fighting in the southern Philippines and that is why troops are elated when they learned that General Esperon has been named as the new Presidential peace adviser.”
“General Esperon has that knowledge and experiences on how to maintain peace and security in Mindanao. He advocated peace in the past and it never changes, it is sill there, peace, he will always tell the soldiers, can be achieved if we work altogether to achieve it,” Maj. Eugene Batara, the spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said.
And the commitment to support the government peace process remains strong among soldiers in the other parts of the South.
In Davao City, home to the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, spokesman Col. Roland Bautista said troops also wanted peace in the troubled region and not fighting with rebels.
“Our soldiers want peace. We do not want any fighting. We want peace to reign in Mindanao so we can help and work together in developing this beautiful region of Mindanao. General Esperon, being the former chief of the Philippine military, can really do a lot to achieve lasting peace and our troops are united behind him as the new government peace adviser,” Bautista said.
In Sulu, the provincial governor Sakur Tan has praised Esperon because of his efforts in bringing peace and development in the island-province, one of six that comprises the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“The man has really worked hard to achieve peace in Sulu and helped us a lot when he was the Armed Forces chief through many partnership projects such as roads and schools and other humanitarian efforts."
Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo last week named Esperon as the new Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, a post previously held by Jesus Dureza, now Press Secretary. Esperon, 56, retired early this month ending decades of glorious past from being a decorated combat commander in the strife-torn Mindanao to peace builder in Sulu.
“From being a military commander to peace maker, we know Secy. Hermogenes Esperon will certainly work hard to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao. He knows the problem in Mindanao very well because he had told us many times in the past that the only solution to insurgency problems is peace and development.”
“Secy. Esperon had always told us to support the government peace process because fighting is not the solution to the problems of Mindanao. The solution, he said always, is sincerity to the peace process and peace we shall achieve, he would always say. And Secy. Esperon served well during his time as military chief and we see peace finally coming,” Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Mindanao, told the Mindanao Examiner.
Ando said the soldiers are also behind Esperon and supportive of the government peace process.
Manila is currently negotiating peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group fighting for independence in the South. Besides the MILF, the government is trying to revive peace talks with the communist New People’s Army rebels, which is also fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the Philippines.
The MILF said it would want to see the resumption of the stalled peace talks and how Esperon would be able to help in finding a just and lasting solution to the Muslim insurgency problems in Mindanao.
In Zamboanga City, the Western Mindanao Command, which secures half of the southern Philippines, also threw its support to Esperon, who was previously the chief of the now defunct Southern Command.
“We knew how the General put his efforts in maintaining peace in Mindanao. He would be the last military commander who would want to see fighting in the southern Philippines and that is why troops are elated when they learned that General Esperon has been named as the new Presidential peace adviser.”
“General Esperon has that knowledge and experiences on how to maintain peace and security in Mindanao. He advocated peace in the past and it never changes, it is sill there, peace, he will always tell the soldiers, can be achieved if we work altogether to achieve it,” Maj. Eugene Batara, the spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said.
And the commitment to support the government peace process remains strong among soldiers in the other parts of the South.
In Davao City, home to the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, spokesman Col. Roland Bautista said troops also wanted peace in the troubled region and not fighting with rebels.
“Our soldiers want peace. We do not want any fighting. We want peace to reign in Mindanao so we can help and work together in developing this beautiful region of Mindanao. General Esperon, being the former chief of the Philippine military, can really do a lot to achieve lasting peace and our troops are united behind him as the new government peace adviser,” Bautista said.
In Sulu, the provincial governor Sakur Tan has praised Esperon because of his efforts in bringing peace and development in the island-province, one of six that comprises the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“The man has really worked hard to achieve peace in Sulu and helped us a lot when he was the Armed Forces chief through many partnership projects such as roads and schools and other humanitarian efforts."
"Our support is solidly behind Secy. Hermogenes Esperon and we continuously support the peace and development efforts of President Gloria Arroyo and the ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan,” Tan said. (Mindanao Examiner)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
MILF Calls For Peace Talks As Manila Names New Peace Adviser
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 18, 2008) – Philippine Muslim rebels negotiating peace with the government on Sunday renewed calls for the resumption of the stalled talks.
The call was made as Manila named former military chief Hermogenes Esperon as the new presidential adviser on the peace process, replacing Jesus Dureza who was appointed as Press Secretary.
“We are calling again for then resumption of the stalled peace talks and for Manila to comply its commitment with the MILF. Peace must go on,” Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the MILF, told The Mindanao Examiner.
Esperon, who just retired last week, was replaced by Philippine Army chief, General Alexander Yano.
“We hope General Esperon will perform his job well from being a military commander to peace maker,” Kabalu said.
Soldiers in the southern Philippines also praised Esperon’s appointment and said it would advance peace efforts in the region.
The call was made as Manila named former military chief Hermogenes Esperon as the new presidential adviser on the peace process, replacing Jesus Dureza who was appointed as Press Secretary.
“We are calling again for then resumption of the stalled peace talks and for Manila to comply its commitment with the MILF. Peace must go on,” Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the MILF, told The Mindanao Examiner.
Esperon, who just retired last week, was replaced by Philippine Army chief, General Alexander Yano.
“We hope General Esperon will perform his job well from being a military commander to peace maker,” Kabalu said.
Soldiers in the southern Philippines also praised Esperon’s appointment and said it would advance peace efforts in the region.
“In the past, General Esperon told us to support the peace process and respect the cease-fire (agreement) with the MILF. And with that, you can see his commitment to the peace process in Mindanao and what more now that he is the new presidential peace adviser,” one army corporal, who gave his name as Santiago, said.
Talks had been stalled since last year after Manila reneged on its earlier commitment to grant the MILF its demand for ancestral domain which would constitute a separate territory for about four million Muslims in the southern Philippines.
Malaysia, which is brokering the peace talks between Manila and the MILF, pulled out about two dozen truce observers because of the slow progress of the seven-year old negotiations and blamed Manila for the stalled talks.
The ancestral domain is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the MILF can reach a political settlement. The government said the provisions of the peace agreement should be within the framework of the Constitution. (Mindanao Examiner)
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