QUEZON CITY (2 May 2023) – The Government of the Philippines remains steadfast in fulfilling its commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which aim to uplift the lives of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their families.

This, as the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement on Tuesday to roll out a Socioeconomic Program for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants worth Php 396 million.

Under the MOA, the DSWD will implement the program wherein it shall provide an outright cash assistance of Php 100,000 for each of the decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants.

Of the Php 100,000, Php 80,000 shall be sourced from the Bangsamoro Transitory Family Support Package (BTFSP), while the remaining Php 20,000 shall be provided under the Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG) of the DSWD’s Socioeconomic Program.

The BTFSP includes food and non-food basic assistance for the decommissioned combatants (DCs) and their families, while the LSG may be used by the DCs to start livelihood activities of the DCs.

The MOA shall cover the transitional cash assistance for the 1,300 decommissioned MILF combatants under Phase 3 and 2,000 combatants under Phase 4; operational expenses in the conduct of case management of decommissioned combatants and Bangsamoro Islamic Auxiliary Women Brigades (BIWAB); and administrative costs.

In his message during the signing ceremony, DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian expressed his agency’s full support to  the Bangsamoro peace process,

“We assure the secretary and [the] OPAPRU family that in this department, we make sure that sustainable, inclusive peace is an initiative that is not just written on paper, but it’s actually funded and manned properly by our cluster,” Gatchalian said.

Meanwhile, DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace Alan A. Tanjusay echoed Gatchalian’s commitment, saying, “May the efforts of both agencies be fruitful and yield positive results for the achievement of peace in the country.”

“Rest assured that the agreements from this productive meeting will be taken care of and complied to by the responsible offices of the DSWD. Let us continue working together para sa kapayapaan,” Tanjusay added.

For his part, Acting Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Sec. Isidro L. Purisima thanked the social welfare department for working closely with the OPAPRU in sustaining and building on the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process.

“We wish to thank the men and women of the DSWD for working closely with the OPAPRU in uplifting the lives of MILF and MNLF members, as well as their families. We look forward to continuing strengthening this partnership and working with you in the coming years,” Purisima said.

Other officials who witnessed the MOA signing were OPAPRU Presidential Assistant for Bangsamoro Transformation David B. Diciano, Presidential Assistant for Local Conflict Transformation and Peace Sustainability Cluster Wilben M. Mayor, GPH Peace Implementing Panel Chair Cesar B. Yano, DSWD Assistant Secretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Arnel Garcia, Assistant Secretary for Disaster Risk Management Diano Rose Cajipe, Dir. Michael Christopher Mathay, and Assistant Bureau Director Rey E. Martija. ###