NEWSFLASH

GMA RECEIVES REBEL-RETURNEES IN ORIENTAL MINDORO

Oriental Mindoro, Oct. 4, 2001 - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed back into the mainstream of society a total of 28 rebel returnees headed by Aniano Flores, alyas "Ka Silver."

In simple ceremonies at the Gloria Municipal Gymnasium here, the President administered the pledge of allegiance to the returnees, who also surrendered their arms.

In her speech before the townsfolk, the President noted that communist insurgency is said to be strong in Oriental Mindoro and that she considers the rebels’ return as a sign of faith in the government.

"Ito ay tinuturing ko bilang tagumpay ng mga magagandang gawain ng ating mga kawal at ating mga opisyal ng ating NGOs na lahat nagsama upang magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa probinsiya ng Mindoro Oriental (I consider this a success of the many good things our soldiers, our officials and NGOs have undertaken to achieve peace in the province of Mindoro Oriental)," she said.

She noted that it is not enough that soldiers are deployed in areas believed to be full of insurgents. "Kailangan tanggalin din natin yung mga dahilan kung bakit nagkakaroon ng rebelde (We should also remove the root cause of rebellion)," she said.

The President related that her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, who came from a poor family, was recruited by the Hukbalahap when he was still in high school.

"Dahil matalino, nire-recruit nung mga Hukbalahap kagaya ng mga batang kasama doon sa 29 kanina ay madaling ma-recruit pag mahirap ang buhay at kulang ng katarungan tungkol sa lupa. (Because he was intelligent, he was recruited. Just like the young men among the 29 rebel returnees, the poor are the easiest to recruit because of their poverty and lack of rights)," she said.

The President said her father, although recruited by the insurgents, refused to join them. "Sabi niya ay dapat mapayapa ang paraan (He said that we should peaceful ways to resolve things)," she said.

She noted that when her father became president, the primary bill he passed into law was the Land Reform Law of the Philippines.

The President also proceeded to Calapan City and Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, where she also reiterated her call against joining the communist insurgents.

In Calapan, the President said the city is close to her heart as Appointments Secretary Marita Jimenez is from the area.

There, she also noted the need for women from the province to avail themselves of Grameen-type credit so they could earn extra income and contribute to in raising their families.

Coastal fishing serves as a major source of livelihood for the city’s 21 barangays. Poultry grown in commercial scale are shipped to Batangas and Metro Manila.

In Paluan, Occidental Mindoro, the President complimented the locals for their beautiful town, which is straddled by rolling to steep mountain ranges and the Paluan Bay.

The first president who set foot in Paluan was the President’s father. Although he stayed in the municipality for only two hours, he left a lasting legacy to the local residents – construction of several infrastructures such as schools, bridges and roads.