Statement of Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity for the 27th Anniversary of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement signing

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh!

The Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) commends the men and women of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as we commemorate the 27th Anniversary of the signing of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA).

The signing of the FPA marked a major milestone in the GPH-MNLF peace process, as it paved the way for thousands of MNLF combatants to return to mainstream society as peaceful and productive civilians and for development to reach their communities.

These once grizzled fighters who fought in the trenches have turned away from armed struggle, and are now a testament that good things come to those who walk the path of peace.

Twenty-seven years since the signing of the agreement, the MNLF, under the leadership of its chairpersons Nur Misuari and Muslimin Sema, have demonstrated their steadfast commitment and dedication to the peace deal’s full implementation.

As an offshoot of the FPA, peace coordinating committees have been created to further strengthen the positive relations between the national government and MNLF, and build on the gains achieved over the years.

The MNLF is continuously playing an active role in various levels of governance in the Bangsamoro. Currently, many of its leaders are working side by side with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other sectors in the Region as members of parliament to set-up a fully functioning Regional Government, uplift the conditions of the people and usher in a better future for the Bangsamoro.

To support the reform agenda in the Bangsamoro and address the concerns of combatants or their next of kin not integrated into the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police, a Transformation Program, currently at its initial stage of implementation, shall be rolled out to deliver socio-economic interventions to MNLF members, their families and communities.

Under the Marcos Administration’s banner of unity, the government is determined, more than ever, to fulfill the commitments it had made under the FPA and move closer to the completion of the implementation phase of this agreement.

As the nation celebrates the FPA’s 27th Anniversary, let us honor the hard work and sacrifices of those individuals who have laid the groundwork so that genuine and long-lasting peace can take root and flourish in the Bangsamoro.

As your longtime partner for peace, the OPAPRU will continue to stand beside our MNLF brothers and sisters, as we jointly forge ahead, and build a better, more peaceful and brighter future for our people in the Bangsamoro.

Shukran!