CAMP ABUBAKAR, BARIRA, MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE — Lined up along the roadside, Tundong-clad children waved Philippine flags, as they cheered and warmly greeted the visitors “Good morning, sirs and ma’ams!”

The atmosphere was festive in this hinterland Central Mindanao municipality that is located within the heart of the biggest Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camp — once the bastion of the former revolutionary group’s armed struggle.

Such an occasion would be unimaginable years ago, as this sprawling camp was once the site of fierce encounters between government troops and MILF forces.

But after the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), peace has finally dawned in this area.

Setting foot in this camp – now considered a show window of peace and development – was Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua and other local government executives.

Galvez and Macacua led the groundbreaking ceremony on December 19 of the housing and resettlement project for decommissioned MILF combatants and their families here, which will be implemented under OPAPRU’s Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Program.

The housing project is a key component of the Camps Transformation Plan (CTP) which aims to transform six previously government-acknowledged MILF camps into peaceful, productive and resilient communities.

Home is Peace

“The day that we have all been waiting for has finally come,” Galvez noted in his remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony, underscoring the significance of the occasion among the project’s recipients.

“We, in the OPAPRU, believe that the home is where the seeds of peace are first [planted]. The American novelist, Kathleen Norris, said it best that Home is another name [for] Peace. ‘Yung bahay ay kumakatawan ng kapayapaan sa atin,” he emphasized.

According to Galvez, the groundbreaking ceremony for the housing and resettlement project in Camp Abubakar “does not only mark the beginning of our high impact interventions for our MILF brothers and sisters.”

“It is also a celebration of the strong spirit of collaboration between the OPAPRU and its partner agencies including the GPH-MILF mechanisms. “yung pangako natin ay natupad na,” he told the MILF members witnessing the event.

A significant milestone

Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulrof Macacua likewise highlighted the importance of the event, saying, “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey towards lasting peace and sustainable development in the Bangsamoro region.

“As we gather here for the groundbreaking ceremony of the housing and resettlement project for Camp Abubakar in the municipality of Barira, we are not merely laying the foundation for homes. We are cementing our commitment to a brighter future for our people,” Macacua stressed.

“‘Yung programa ng OPAPRU ngayon na bigyan ng pabahay yung mga combatants natin is aligned ito sa moral governance ni Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim ng BARMM. We are very thankful for that,” he added.

Macacua thanked President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for his “steadfast support and dedication to bringing meaningful projects and programs to the Bangsamoro region,” as he lauded Galvez for his instrumental role in bringing peace to the area.

“At kung meron mang General na unang nagdala ng solusyon na may tiwala ang Bangsamoro sa lahat ng Army, siya ‘yun (referring to Galvez),” he said, pointing out that military officials are now being recognized not only for their peacekeeping efforts but also their peacebuilding initiatives.

A promise fulfilled

Member of Parliament Ali Salik, co-chair MILF-Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation, said that the project “represents a significant step in addressing the housing needs of our community. It is a testament towards our commitment to address the roots of conflict.”

Salik also expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for his determination to implement all the national government’s commitments under the CAB, a promise that is now fostering peace, development and progress in the Bangsamoro.

For her part, Member of Parliament, MP Engr. Baintan Adil-Ampatuan thanked the national government and the OPAPRU for spearheading the housing project that seeks to improve the socio-economic well-being of the MILF members and their families.

“Kami po sa Joint Task Forces on Camp Transformation ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa pamunuan ng OPAPRU sa pamumuno ni Secretary Carlito Galvez, sa pamamagitan nitong PAMANA project. Finally, mag-ga-groundbreaking na tayo,” Ampatuan said.

She also thanked the BARMM’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE), Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), municipal government of Barira, and First Marine Brigade for supporting the housing project.

Whole-of-nation approach

Meanwhile, Galvez commended all the stakeholders who contributed to the housing project’s realization, which include the NHA, DENR, MENRE, BPDA and Maguindanao provincial government.

“The successful implementation of our Camps Transformation Plan is largely due to the whole-of-government approach being employed by the OPAPRU,” he said, urging local government units to provide additional assistance to the decommissioned combatants.

Galvez also urged the various peace mechanisms such as the Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation (JTFCT) and Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities (TFDCC) to look into the other needs of the combatants and address them.

He also emphasized the commitment of President Marcos to pushing forward, building on the sustaining the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process, which he highlighted in his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“The Camp Transformation Plan demonstrates the Marcos Administration’s determination in uplifting the lives not only of former MILF combatants but also (of) their families and everyone living in the Bangsamoro,” Galvez said.###