FR DIARIES | Former Rebel Rebuilds Life After Surrender

In September 2023, Job David, better known by his alias “Ka Yuri,” stood at a crossroads that would forever change his life. Once a cadre of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army, he had endured years of hardship in the mountains, surviving only on root crops and wild herbs, far from even the most basic comforts. During a “hakot-bundo”* mission, he and two comrades made the difficult decision to surrender to the 23rd Division Reconnaissance Company in Mindoro when they were discovered in a mountain trail in Mt. Malaglag, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro.

Photo grabbed from FB post of Job David

Job’s choice reflected a broader shift happening across the country. In 2023 alone, 3,581 rebels left the armed struggle behind, with 1,144 of them enrolling in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). Through this initiative, they received immediate assistance, livelihood opportunities, reintegration support, and benefits for turning in firearms. The ripple of change spread further as 1,226 former rebels in the Visayas region were also documented as E-CLIP beneficiaries, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

By early 2025, the movement toward peace had grown stronger. In Aurora, 80 former rebels and supporters publicly renounced their ties to communist terrorist groups, taking their own steps toward rebuilding lives and communities through reintegration programs. For many like Job, surrender was not an end but the beginning of a difficult yet hopeful journey back to peace.

In a Facebook post he recalled, “When we were brought to the 203rd Brigade HQ, we were reassured: it was over. We no longer had to sleep under trees with one eye open.” Yet the decision carried a weight of uncertainty, especially for the young man who worried about the fate of his partner left behind in the forest with the NPA unit.

Through prayer and perseverance, he found strength in surrender. A year later, in September 2024, he was reunited with his partner, who would later become his wife. By September 2025, his journey had transformed from one of survival to one of rebuilding; guided by faith, gratitude, and the support of those who welcomed him back into society. He was recently featured in an exhibit of Winners of the prestigious Metrobank Art and Design Excellence Competition. His work titled “Katuparan ng Pangarap ang Nagaganap sa Paghahanap sa Hinaharap” which made it to the semi-finals, echoes his hopeful perspective despite the challenges in his personal life and with society in general. 

Photo courtesy of the artist

Reflecting on this path, he frames his story through the words of Isaiah 60:22: “When the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen.” His experience stands as a testament to resilience, reconciliation, and the possibility of new beginnings.

* hakot-bundo is a special covert operation of the NPA wherein a small group is set-out to scavenge for food in kaingins or nearby farms.