At first glance, the Balaí Cafe in Baras, Rizal is like any charming eatery offering breakfast, short orders, and brewed specialty coffee.
This mini-eatery tucked in one of the breathtaking spots in Barangay Pinugay, Sitio Galaxy boasts of al fresco dining and provides patrons natural scenery. Guests can even interact with small animals that freely roam around the premises.
But for the Friends for the Reliable Steadfast – a group of former communist rebels under the care of the Philippine Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion – each meal they serve is a testament that second chances are possible, if one seeks it.
One of the café’s employees, Christine was compelled to join the rebel group as a young college student living in a struggling housing project. Fearing that pursuing higher education would only burden her already financially strained family, she abandoned her loved ones and the life she once knew to join their cause.
In an interview with PIA Calabarzon, Christine mentioned that the Balai Café helped her realize her dream of becoming a singer. (Photo by Shimie Taclino/PIA-4A)
“I was still studying then. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to help my family anymore because I couldn’t finish my education due to our difficult circumstances,” she said.
In the few months she was part of the New People’s Army, Christine experienced extreme hunger, sleepless nights, skin diseases, and even saw some of her closest friends die right before her eyes.
Christine later sought a way out and eventually found solace with the government forces. Traveling by foot, she and her peers hiked along the endless mountain ranges until she found a way to reach the Philippine Army. She was sent to the 80th Infantry Battalion – a unit of the Army’s 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division – where she underwent months of debriefing. Once she was deemed ready to rejoin society, she was employed by Balai Café where she found a new dream: to become a singer.
Balai (home)
Lt. Col. Erwin Commendador, former commanding officer of the Steadfast Battalion, holds the Balai Café project dear to his heart.
“When I first started working here in March 2022, I saw a couple carrying a baby getting food for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The next day, I asked them what they were carrying,” Commendador recalled.
“They told me that they were former rebels who surrendered to the authorities. They (then) taught us how to handle former rebels and how to encourage more surrenderers.”
With a dream to give the former rebels a more meaningful reason to reintegrate into society, Commendador later enlisted the help of government partners such as the local government units of Baras and Tanay to launch a livelihood program.
“I saw an opportunity to create a means for them to feel a sense of ownership and belonging, and to find their reason for surrendering,” he said.
Led by their Commander, Lt. Col. Erwin Commendador, the Balai Cafe was a livelihood project of the 80th Infantry (Steadfast) Batallion and the Friends of the Reliable Steadfast to provide a source of livelihood to former rebels. (Photo by Shimie Taclino/PIA-4A)
Since its establishment on July 22, 2022, the Balai Cafe has provided security, stability, and a source of income for the former rebels.
With the help of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Friends of the Reliable Steadfast learned the needed skills in managing a small business from accounting, management, and food handling, as well as registering their venture.
“After its first anniversary, we expanded the Balai Cafe from a small parcel of land, which now has comfort rooms, even a playground,” Commendador added.
Launched by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), the E-CLIP or Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration program helps former rebels and their families to start anew through various government benefits. On top of financial and livelihood assistance, former rebels also receive medical aid from the Department of Health (DOH), among others.
Despite his physical abilities, Eric enthusiastically works at the Balai Cafe as their manager. He said that unity and connection amongst one another are treasured by the personnel of Balai Cafe. (Photo by Shimie Taclino/PIA-4A)
Eric, another former rebel, now manages the Balai Café despite having a speaking disability. His cheerful personality and friendly smile make him a warm presence at the café.
“Most of us here have experienced different trauma. But at Balai Café, we show unity and connection amongst one another,” he said.
For the Friends of the Reliable Steadfast, the Balai Café is not just a means of making a living but a sanctuary that signifies stability and a new life away from the chaos of rebellion.
While regular customers may view the eatery simply as another restaurant find in Baras, for Eric, Christine, and the other employees, the Balai Café is their safe haven. It is their home, where they wake up to every day with hope, serving coffee as warm as the newfound peace and stability they have finally achieved. (PB/PIA-4A)
For the Friends of the Reliable Steadfast, Balaí Cafe is not just a means of making a living but a sanctuary that signifies stability, a new life away from the chaos of rebellion, and a testatement that second chances are possible. (Photo by Charmaine Odong, PIA-4A)
