ILOILO CITY -- Former communist rebels in Aklan province who became forest guards will be recipients of a housing program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DENR Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr. , who led the recent groundbreaking for the Peace and Development Community (PDC) in Ibajay town, said the PDC will have 28-units single detached two-bedroom housing.
These houses will be intended for the Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan Inc. (Kapatiran–Aklan), who were former members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA/ABB-Tabara Paduano Group).
The Emergency Food Reserve (EFR) Production Plant will also be built as a livelihood program to provide nutritious and ready-to-eat food that can be used as sustenance in times of calamity and disasters.
“The process to finally give them everything they needed for their reintegration to mainstream society may have taken years. But it was all worth it and we believe the Kapatiran appreciates our sincere efforts and that of the other government agencies,” said DENR-6 Regional Director Livino Duran.
To recall, the former rebels were chosen to become forest guards in a program of the Office Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Their initial job was to look after forestland and assist in arresting those who illegally transport lumber at five identified mountainous areas of Ibajay town.