SAN LUIS, Agusan del Sur – The Provincial Economic and Enterprises Development Office (PEEDO) of Agusan del Sur in collaboration with the 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion (26IB), Philippine Army conducted a three-day livelihood training to the former rebels (FRs) of the municipality of San Luis on July 27 to 29, 2021 held in Barangay Doña Maxima, San Luis, this province. 

The said training was conducted in support to the Executive Order No. 70 (EO 70), a government policy on "Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict" in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace mandating all government agencies to prioritize the delivery of basic services in marginalized communities.

As intended beneficiaries of the EO 70, 19 FRs from the said municipality underwent training on Meat Processing and Calamansi Juice Making. "Through the EO 70, the local government units and agencies are working together in serving various initiatives to help sustain the needs of the former rebels for them to be reintegrated back to the community, be with their families, and start over with their new lives especially during this time of health crisis," said Mayor Phoebe L. Corvera.

The PEEDO-AgSur is one of the government agencies that provide livelihood training and seminars to the local communities encouraging them to be resourceful with the local products to become consumable according to the demand of the consumers. “Our goal is to provide inevitable knowledge and techniques in entrepreneurship with their local products readily available according to the highest economical standard in the market, as well as to open opportunities to those who are planning to start a small business on their own," bared Honelyn L. Husian, Technical Staff of PEEDO.

Alias ‘Shaolin’, one of the FRs, expressed his gratefulness to the government. "Daghan salamat sa tanan nga nagpasiugda aning maong training kung diin gitudluan mi ug unsaon paghimu ug longanisa, mga tocino ug uban pang produkto gamit ang karne ug dili lang kana gitudloan usab kami unsaon paghimu ug calamansi juice kung diin pwede namong mahimo produkto nga ikabaligya sa mga dagkong tindahan. Kini pipila lamang sa mga programa nga gihatag alang kanamo aron kami matabangan sa pagpaningkamot alang sa among panginabuhian sa among pag balik sa sabakan sa panggamhanan (Thank you to all the agencies involved in this training wherein we learned how to process meats like longanisa and tocino. We also learned how to produce calamansi juice which could also be sold to big stores. These are just some of the many programs offered to us as we return to the folds of the law," he said. 

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Reynald Romel A. Goce, Commanding Officer of 26IB commended the PEEDO for such initiative. "I am glad that the local government agencies in AgSur were adopting and implementing EO 70 as mandated by President Duterte. This action will surely amplify in addressing the socio-economic issues that are used by the CPP-NPA in poisoning the minds and hearts of our people,” he shared. 

“This is a re-integration strategy that empowers the FRs and their families to be more economically-resilient and it will provide opportunities for them to be economically active citizens of their community. With the continuous collaboration and cooperation of the different line agencies to unite and act as one, this will manifest that this armed conflict will soon come to an end. Teamwork is the key to attain a more peaceful and progressive community," added Goce. (2Lt Cecille Tappa, CMO officer, 26IB, PA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)