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Former Ifugao rebels still dissatisfied with government programs
By March L. Fianza

LAGAWE, Ifugao -- For the sake of peace and development of Ifugao, 15 former comrades of the Communist movement in the Cordillera chose to make reforms as rebel returnees. But after leaving mountain strongholds and laying down arms in the late 80s, Mario “Ka Elias” Pugong was still dissatisfied with how government handled programs for rebel returnees.

Ifugao governor Teddy Baguilat Jr. said there were instances when Pugong felt frustrated about the programs. He quoted the former rebel saying “There are government dole-outs for rebel returnees but wala naman magandang nangyayari.”

The former rebel leader was a pioneer member of the first communist movement in the Cordillera based in Hapao, Hungduan, Ifugao. Pugong also served as councilor in his hometown of Hungduan after stepping out from the movement and putting down the gun.

He is now the president of the Concerned Citizens of Ifugao for Peace and Development which was recently organized together with former colleagues in the communist movement. In his discussions with the rebel returnees, Baguilat said they noticed how foreign funded peace and development projects were concentrated in Mindanao , “yet very little positive results come out of it.”

“Peace and order must also be sustained in the Cordillera, not only in Mindanao ,” the youthful Ifugao governor quoted Pugong. Apparently, their argument opened a door to an agreement with the United Nations Development Program through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. Aside from coffee production, CCIPD is more focused on the distillation and fermentation of essential oils extracted from lemon grass.

The other members of CCIPD are Arsenio Humiding, then a.k.a Ka Rey; Pedro Ngittit and Dominga Nalliw of Lamut; Benedict Tangid, son of Sixto Tangid who was also a former comrade; and Noel Paynohan. Baguilat said it appeared that presidential adviser (Jesus) Dureza’s attention was caught by the argument raised by Pugong and his colleagues that is why he became supportive of the lemon grass project.

Through the OPAPP, the UNDP donated P150,000.00 for the fabrication of a distillation and fermentation machine. The rebel returnees have been planting lemon grass in commercial quantities in the farm of retired Ifugao provincial director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, now CCIPD coordinator Fernando Bahatan in Gohang, Banawe. CCIPD has to increase lemon grass harvest in very large quantities to be able to extract more liters of essential oils.

Baguilat learned that one hectare of lemon grass harvest is required to produce just one liter of essential oil and has sought assistance from the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry in terms of research on how to increase oil production. Lemon grass which is citronella grass or cymbopogon is processed into varieties of oils used in making soap, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics by companies in Australia.

The extracted oils are also needed in antiseptics, disinfectants and mosquito repellants used in insect sprays produced in India , Malaysia and Indonesia . Locally, lemon grass is used for health drink such as tea, especially for those who have arthritis, Baguilat said. It is also an alternative livelihood from the woodcarving industry of Hapao in Hungduan.