Bukidnon: Symbolizing peace and reconciliation, two former members of the New People's Army (NPA) were united in matrimony through a Kasalan ng Bayan (mass wedding) on Friday. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB) headquarters in Impasugong, Bukidnon.

According to Philippines News Agency, the wedding was spearheaded by the 4th Infantry 'Diamond' Division of the Philippine Army, in collaboration with the 8th Infantry Battalion and local government units, as part of peace and reintegration initiatives. The couple, Joel Bernal Macarambon and Yurely Sinunta Banawan, were long-time members of the communist insurgency before surrendering to the government earlier this year.

Macarambon, a native of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, spent nine years with the NPA, while Banawan, from Damulog, Bukidnon, served as a medic for seven years. Their union marked a personal milestone and is a testament to the success of the government's reintegration programs, Lt. Col. Benjamin Pajarito, 8IB commander, said.

"It was not just a wedding. It's a message that there is hope, forgiveness, and a chance to start over," Pajarito said in a statement Friday. The couple formally surrendered to the 8IB on June 25, expressing a desire to start anew and provide a better future for their two-year-old daughter.

Despite the hardships they faced, including Banawan's tragic loss of her parents and siblings in separate armed encounters, both chose to abandon armed struggle in favor of peace and family life, Pajarito said.