Bacolod City – One hundred and one former members of the defunct Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA/ABB) in Negros Occidental, may soon have permanent homes in Bago City and E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.
The provision of a free house and lot for former members of the RPM-P-RPA-ABB, now known as Kapatiran, was stipulated in the peace agreement they signed with the government almost 26 years ago, in Don Salvador Benedicto.
Former Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano, who previously served as the national commander of the RPA-ABB, a breakaway faction of the New People’s Army, Susana Guadalope Marcaida, executive director for Peace Sustainability Cluster of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), and Mayor Marina “Mayette” Javellana-Yao led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kapatiran South Cluster 1 Housing Project in Barangay Napoles, Bago City.
The P28 million housing project, funded by the OPAPRU and implemented by the National Housing Authority, aims to provide free housing and lots to till for each of the 33 families of former RPA-ABB combatants.
Each unit stands on a 150-square meter lot, having a floor area of 28 square meters. The one hectare private lot was purchased by the government.
Ricky Guzon, Kapatiran Workers Association (KAPAWA) board of director, said each unit of house and lot costs P850,000.
Guzon said the housing development is being undertaken by Hummingbird Construction and Supply Corporation and implemented through the Community-Based Initiative Approach (CBIA) in partnership with Kapatiran – South Cluster 1.
Seventy-one other former rebels in the Kapatiran North Sector are also availing of free housing units in Brgy. Damgo, E.B. Magalona, with ground breaking rites led by Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon and OPAPRU officials led by Marcaida, also held on Thursday.
The housing project costs about P60.3 million.
Malacon said the project sits on a one hectare property.
The peace agreement between then RPM-P-RPA-ABB was signed on December 10, 2000.
Several years after the peace agreement signing, then RPA-ABB combatants were disbanded and demobilized, after surrendering their high-powered firearms, as the national government reintegrated them into the mainstream society, said Paduano, who served as congressman for 11 years.
Paduano said the first housing project for their members was established in Brgy. Locotan, Kabankalan City, in previous years, followed by two others in Bago City and E.B. Magalona, all in Negros Occidental, in compliance with the provisions of the peace agreement.
A similar housing project for Kapatiran members was also established in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, while two more housing communities are now being finalized in cities of Cadiz and San Carlos cities of Negros Occidental.
“This is a big thing for us, as many of our members are poor,” Guzon said.
He also thanked Bago City Mayor Javellana-Yao and Napoles barangay chairwoman Rebecca Eyoy for their acceptance into their community, after some reservations.
The ground breaking rites in Bago was attended by DSWD assistant regional director Aileen Cuevas, Atty. John Leo Solinao, NHA division manager for Negros Island Region, among others. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds photo by tvds)