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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Negros Occidental-Based Former Rebel Group Gets ₱25-M Infra Projects

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The Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan, Inc. (Kapatiran), which is finalizing a closure peace agreement with the Philippine government, has received PHP25.181 million worth of infrastructure projects from Negros Occidental’s provincial government.

Kapatiran was the name assumed by the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa – Pilipinas/ Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA-ABB) as part of its institutional transformation. The RPA-ABB is a breakaway group of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The completed projects are located in the peace and development community sites of Kapatiran in sitios Ilan and Mambinay in Barangay Locotan, Kabankalan City.

“For peace to be real, we must address, preserve and respect the core of humanity and human dignity and it must be the kind that leaves no one behind,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in his message during the turnover of projects held on Tuesday.

Under the 2014 Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) projects of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), completed were the concreting and improvement of the Locotan Road with canal lining worth PHP3 million and additional units of classroom worth PHP1.5 million.

Funded under the 2011 Development Acceleration Program (DAP) are the construction of four classroom school buildings amounting to PHP3 million; construction of a day-care center, PHP1 million; construction of a multi-purpose building, PHP1.5 million; construction of a health center, PHP1.5 million; construction of one phase line and installation of two 15KVA transformer and accessories, PHP2.278 million; and rehabilitation of the Locotan-Mambinay Road, PHP11.4 million.

As part of the turnover rites, Lacson, Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco, and Kapatiran Chairperson Veronica Tabara signed a memorandum of understanding to seal their partnership.

The signing was witnessed by Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano; Col. Noel Baluyan, commander of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade; Locotan village chief Zhawrigley Dayon; and 6th District Board Member Jeffrey Tubola.

During the activity, more than 800 residents of Locotan also availed of government services, such as free medical and dental services, skills and livelihood training, free massage and haircut, and enrolment in the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program.

The turnover of the projects to Kapatiran was among the highlights of the Provincial Peace Week observed from the last week of November to the first week of December.

On Dec. 6, 2000, the RPM-P/RPA-ABB signed a peace agreement with the government but later split into two — the Tabara-Paduano Group (TPG) led by Veronica Tabara and now Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano; and the Nilo de la Cruz Group.

Only the TPG continued the process of finalizing a draft closure agreement with the government.

(Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)

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