SULU – Under the peace agenda of the Marcos administration, at least 650 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are expected to undergo a profiling process this year for them to receive socioeconomic interventions under the Transformation Program between the government and the MNLF.

According to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the profiling event, which was launched on Tuesday, June 24, will cater to MNLF members based in Sulu.

For the first batch, 480 MNLF members will undergo a five-day socioeconomic profiling process, scheduled from June 24 to 28. They will receive Php 45,000.00 Transitional Cash Assistance each, totaling Php 21,600,000.00.

On top of this, 537 MNLF firearms were documented from the municipalities of Patikul and Talipao from June 18 to 20, 2025. The process of documenting their firearms is the first step to qualify for the Transformation Program.

“The government through the OPAPRU and MNLF share a common vision, and that is, to uplift the lives of our MNLF brothers and sisters, and bring long-lasting peace and sustainable development within the MNLF communities and across the Bangsamoro and Mindanao,” Galvez underscored in his message.

He reaffirmed President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s steadfast commitment to continue working closely with the MNLF leadership to bring about the complete transformation of combatants, their families, and communities.

To affirm this commitment, MNLF communities were allocated Php130,000,000.00 in 2024, and another Php122,100,000.00 for this year. P373,000,000 will also be earmarked to CY 2026 to support various road, livelihood, electrication, water system and housing projects. These projects will be under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan or PAMANA – a flagship program of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.

Another peace milestone

The MNLF Transformation Program, which is being spearheaded by the OPAPRU together with the GPH-MNLF Management Committee and other implementing peace partners, was launched last September 2023 in Basilan.

In August 2024, around 2,000 MNLF combatants from Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, North Cotabato and Cotabato City were profiled.

With the implementation of the Transformation Program in Sulu, the province is expected to continue its march towards long lasting peace and sustainable development.

Speaking on behalf of the MNLF Lupah Sug State Committee, Mohammad John Usman expressed his gratitude to OPAPRU and the security sector.

“This MNLF Transformation Program is helpful to the MNLF combatants not only for the livelihood cash assistance but also to their heart and mind…That the government is still continuing the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement,” Usman said.

‘Transforming lives’

The MNLF Transformation Program is an initiative under the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the MNLF.

It aims to help uplift the lives of the MNLF combatants, their communities and their families and aid them to become productive, empowered and self-reliant individuals.

Galvez emphasized the importance of the transformation process for the combatants.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga prosesong ito, kumukuha tayo ng datos ukol sa bawat combatant, kanilang mga pamilya at kominidad na siyang gagamitin natin sa pagbibigay ng angkop na mga proyekto at iba pang tulong para sa kanila,” he said.
The Transformation program has four major components: security, socioeconomic, confidence-building and community healing and reconciliation.

Under the socio-economic component, the profiled combatants shall receive transitional cash assistance worth Php 45,000.00 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, rice provision from the National Food Authority and the OPAPRU, health insurance from PhilHealth. and civil registration assistance from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Strengthened commitment and partnerships

Representing Sulu State College (SSC), President, Prof. Charisma Ututalum, Engr. Firash Zhed Ututalum, Dean of Student Affairs, reaffirmed their institution’s commitment of support to the national government’s peacebuilding efforts in the province.

“As solidarity remains one of our core values, we acknowledge the role of academic institutions in the peace process and in the development of our province,” Ututalum said.

Speaking on behalf of Officer-in-Charge of the Philippine National Police Peace Process and Development Center (PNP-PPDC), PCol. Francisco Ebreo, PLtCol. Kris Conrad Gutierrez, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations of the Sulu Police Provincial, stated: “Kasama ninyo kami sa bawat hakbang ng inyong paglalakbay tungo sa positibong pagbabago.”

LtGen. Antonio Nafarrete, Commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), as represented BGen. Aldren Annani, WestMinCom Deputy Commander, declared: “Kami sa WESMINCOM ay naninidigan sa pagsuporta sa ganitong adhikain. Ito ay nagsasalamin ng ating sinseridad sa usapang pangkapayapaan.”

“At ang hakbang na ito na ating tinatahak ay patungo upang mabago ang dating lugar ng karahasan sa isang progresibo at mapayapang komunidad,” he added.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay through his representative Victoria Santiago-Lavabo, RSW, DSWD Central Office, told the MNLF combatants that “our end-goal is to ensure you will have equal access to rights, opportunities and the freedom to live and thrive.”

Call for cooperation

In his message, GPH Management Committee Chairperson BGen. Buenaventura Pascual, PA (Ret) called for the active participation of the MNLF combatants to ensure the successful implementation of the Transformation Program.

“Hinihikayat namin kayo na ibahagi ang inyong mga opinyon at mungkahi sa panahon ng proseso nang pagsubaybay at konsultasyon na aming gagawin sa inyo,” Buenaventura said.

Member of Parliament Uttoh Salem Cutan, Chair of theMNLF Management Committee, assured MNLF members that they are working closely with the national government to ensure that all programs, projects and other interventions would help “uplift the livelihood opportunities” of their members, families and communities in Sulu.

“Dapat tulungan ninyo kami,” Cutan said, as called on the MNLF combatants in Sulu to support the implementation of the Transformation Program and do their part in realizing the commitments made by both parties under the 1996 GPH-MNLF Final Peace Agreement.

Galvez also expressed his gratitude to the Provincial government of Sulu for its unwavering support to the program, which is transforming the lives of MNLF combatants.

He also recognized the strong support from the WestMinCom, 11th Infantry Division, and the Philippine National Police – Sulu in the Transformation Program’s successful implementation.###