DENR re-hires 109 ex-CPLAs in Mt Province as forest guards

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has renewed the contract of 109 former members of the dissolved Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) to work in the government’s National Greening Program and forest protection related activities in the province.

Virginia Ngoddo of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office said the employment of the former CPLA members is part of socio-economic reintegration program for former rebels for them to be productive residents contributing to peace in their communities.

To support the socio-economic integration program, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2013 came up with employment opportunities for profiled former CPLA members through the PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) program by contracting them to work as ‘bantay gubat’ (forest guards).

Ngoddo said 46 of the contracted former rebels are assigned at the Community Environment and Natural Resource Office based in Paracelis while 63 are supervised by the CENRO – Sabangan.

Based on the Contract of Service, the bantay gubat will help in seedling production, conduct maintenance and restoration activities on the 2011 and 2012 NGP established plantations, conduct foot patrol and protection activities in natural forest and protected areas and perform other related activities as directed by their respective CENROs.

The contracted former rebels will receive a monthly remuneration of P8, 000 including deductions.

Since the CPLA entered into a peace pact with the government in 2011, it has then transformed itself into a socio-economic entity called the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development.