From bullets to baskets

By RENE VALENZUELA

ALABEL, Sarangani (December 10, 2007) - For Eufemio 'Django' Diamante, life in past years was spent moving in mountain ridges and rainforests, eluding or watching the enemy pass by.

He was fighting the government as a platoon leader of the New People's Army (NPA) in Alabel's purported no-man's land.

But Django, 32, who surrendered early this year after almost seven years with the communist movement, declared: "I've already seen the light. And it came from the government."

With private sector support, Django and nine other rebel returnees recently participated in a rattan- and nito-weaving training.

The livelihood training was conducted by Globe Telecom and ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation's BridgeCom sa Bayan in partnership with the provincial government of Sarangani and the Conrado Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CAFI).

"I'm very comfortable in making baskets (now) instead of dodging bullets," Django said in an interview Thursday (December 6) at Sitio Ihan in barangay Datal Anggas, Alabel.

Sitio Ihan was a former rebel stronghold where Django, armed with either an M-203 rifle or an M-14, led his comrades.

But things have changed in Alabels' farthest barangay, a place that means "plane" (datal) and "spring or source of water" (anggas), where the town's highest peak also lies.

Globe and ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation brought trainers to Ihan from the Cottage Industries Training Center (CITC) in Marikina.

"We choose this remote village after we found out from our partners that this village was a former rebel stronghold," said Jeffrey Ochoa Tarayao, head of Community Relations of Corporate Social Responsibility of telecom giant Globe.

"All of us here were either members of the NPA or sympathizers," said 31-year old Eddie Malinao who surrendered this year after being with the communist movement for three years.

Malinao, known as Rustom in the communist movement, said that after years of running from the government, he realized that life will be better if he gives up his guns.

"Life in the movement for me was terrible. We were always hiding during the day and walking at night," said Malinao.

"Now, the government has given us hope here. This is a real program for development which involves our community," Malinao added.

The residents were taught to weave baskets and table ornaments made of rattan and nito which is abundant in the area.

"This is one big project for the people of Ihan," said Datal Anggas barangay captain Caris Salimama.

Residents in Ihan are marginal farmers producing corn, banana and cassava.

"This B'laan and Klagan community was a stronghold of the communist for the past years. The military will not hear a single word from its residents if they asked questions before," said Salimama who had been threatened with death several times by the NPA.

Salimama explained that Malinao and a couple of others he personally know were assigned to kill him.

"Fortunately, I was able to escape a couple of times. Now, they are living a peaceful life here in Ihan, weaving baskets instead of preparing bullets for me" said Salimama with a smile.

Django and Rustom have also been threatened with death by their former comrades.

"It's up to them what to do. But for us, we are very thankful for the government for giving us the attention that we need here in Ihan," said Rustom.

"In all my years with the NPA, I have not felt the change we were fighting for. But with this simple project, the people here have regained the belief that there is a working government for them," Django said.

The training which attracted 75 participants, 21 of them women, also included an Introduction to Entrepreneurship conducted by ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation.

"We want them not only to learn how to weave but also become entrepreneurs as well," said Fernando Esguerra of Globe's community relations office.

Esguerra, with representatives from ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation, CAFI, Sarangani provincial government and CITC spent two nights and three days in Ihan.

They brought along with them raw materials and training manuals for the program.

"Hopefully next year, we can start buying their products," Tarayao said emphasizing that the program will not end with the training but they will also help in product development and marketing.

"I know a lot about guns and bullets. It was what I trained for extensively in the NPA. But these baskets will give me a source of living and is much lighter to carry than guns and bullets," said Django. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/RIO)