The DICT Digital Skills Training for Former Rebels, also known as the EX-CNT (Former Communist New People’s Army Terrorists) Digital Skills Program, is a peace and development initiative that provides ICT-based livelihood training and digital competency development to individuals who have surrendered and are undergoing reintegration into civilian life. The program recognizes that sustainable peace requires not only security measures but also meaningful economic opportunities — and that equipping former rebels with marketable digital skills is a practical and empowering pathway toward productive civilian reintegration.
Participants undergo training in foundational digital skills, virtual assistance, digital entrepreneurship, and other ICT competencies that can support employment or self-employment in the legitimate economy. The program is implemented in coordination with relevant government agencies involved in the peace process and local government units hosting reintegration communities, ensuring that training is delivered in a safe, supportive, and contextually appropriate environment. By providing former rebels with the tools to build dignified livelihoods in the digital economy, DICT contributes to breaking cycles of poverty and conflict and supporting the government’s broader goals of lasting peace and inclusive national development.