Deep Roots

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From Arms to Farms: battlefields become

farming communities in Southern Philippines

Renelle Joy A. Tabinas, Project Development Officer, Agricultural Training Institute

– the Apex Agency in Extension in the Philippines

nsurgency still proliferates in the highlands of the

southern portion of the Philippines. For decades now,

Mindanao has been a home to rebel groups continu-

ously fighting against the Government. This has become

their way of life, a struggle that has brought fathers,

husbands and brothers away from their homes in the

hope of addressing hunger and alleviating their impover-

ished state. For years, they felt deprived, longing for the

Government’s assistance.

The rebellion, however, did not improve their livelihood, nor

did it give them enough to feed and protect their families. In

2008, after suffering for a long time, a number of rebel leaders

and their followers yielded to the Government.

Nevertheless, surrendering their firearms didn’t mean an

immediate life of ease. Rebel returnees had to deal being ostra-

cized in the lowlands and even feared for their own lives as

some people wanted to take revenge. They knew of nothing

else to do, no other means of living aside from pulling the rifle’s

trigger. Employment in the nearest government office was not

even an option since they were illiterate and had not expe-

rienced any form of education. For a time, the former rebels

remained idle though they have tried tilling their land areas

to put something to eat on their tables. Despite their efforts,

the land they wanted to develop was nowhere near productive.

Family farming has always been a culture and tradition

among Filipinos, including rebels. Their farms may not be

as productive compared to other farmers in peaceful rural

communities, but they still work through the day making the

most of what their soil can offer. They were not fortunate

enough to be informed about farming techniques like those

in the lowland areas, who were reached by the Government.

Addressing these needs and not wanting the leaders

to go back as rebels, in 2012 Director Asterio P. Saliot

of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) initiated the

programme From Arms to Farms: Fostering Peace through

Agriculture and Fishery Development in Conflict Areas.

This was after his first meeting with Commander Batman

– the first Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel

returnee who sought ATI’s assistance after failing for

years to get the attention of other government agencies

concerned with rural development.

Image: Clemente Gabion

A Maranao mother and son tending their goats in a field in the former stronghold of Commander Ismael

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