Maria (not her real name) said there is life after an armed struggle.
Maria’s sari-sari store is doing well. In fact, Mary Gloryn Mangarao, project development officer (PDO) of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), who monitors the progress of Maria’s livelihood project, reveals the family has a net income of Php 22,890 deposited in a bank in Dumaguete City. Maria’s family also acquired a motorcycle and bought fertilizers for their crops. They have gained more customers in their community because they offer reasonable prices. All these happened that six months after the grant’s release.
Maria and husband Ben (not his real name) farm a land somewhere in Negros Oriental. They said their life as farmers is hard. They simply rely on their harvest and stretch their income for their two young children, aged two and four.
“Gusto nako nga magmalampuson ug mahimong professionals akong mga anak puhon (I want my children to be successful professionals, one day),” Maria shared with a glimmer of hope.
The couple strives to save for their children’s future; they want them to have a good education to have a better life because this is the only wealth they could give them. “Dili ko gusto mahiaguman nila akong kaagi sauna (I don’t want them to go through what I went through years ago),” said Maria, as she remembers her experiences being a rebel for three years.
“Nagtuo ko nga nindot akong kaugmaon kung moapil ko sa rebeldeng grupo (I thought I would have a better future if I join the group),” said Maria. At 16, she dreamt of a better future. When her relative persuaded and promised her that the CPP-NPA could give her a better life, she joined and became a rebel despite her widowed mother’s warning. Her father died in the early 2000s.She is the fourth of five siblings. All she ever wanted was to have a better life and to help her mother, who worked hard to feed the family. The promise of a better life enticed her to join the group.
For three years, she thought she would one day receive what had been promised her. But the life she lived with the group was not easy, days of starvation and hiding, fear of being taken by law enforcement. She thought she was reminded of her mother’s advice and realized she was wrong.
Maria said, “Nikalas ko ug ni uli kos akong mama, nitabang ko sa uma ug namuhi kog hayop (I left the group and went home to my mother. I helped her till the farm and raised farm animals).” After months of working at the farm, Maria looked for a house help job in Dumaguete, Cebu, and Manila.
“Lahi ra manginabuhi nga libre, dili mag tago-tago (It is different to live freely, not in hiding),” shared Maria.
In November 2020, Maria’s family received P20,000.00 cash from the Sustainable Livelihood Program as Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG) under Executive order #70, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. It is intended for the former rebels or those government’s program’s and services.
“Gigamit nako ang kwarta gahimo ko’g sari-sari store diri ras among balay (I used the money to run a mini-convenience store in my house),” Maria could not contain her happiness. The grant would go a long way for their family; it is an add-on to their earnings.
“Dili man dako ang kita nako pero sa hinay-hinay maka save ko para sa kaugmaon sa akong mga anak (My earnings are not that big yet, but I can slowly and surely say I can save for my children’s future),” Maria hopefully shared. ###
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