As the year 2024 came to a close, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed cash-for-work assistance (CFW) to 547 former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Basilan province as part of its Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa Normalization Program.
The beneficiaries participated in the 27-day CFW and were given Php9,747 each under the MNLF Transformation Program. They are are from the municipalies of Al-Barka, Akbar, Lamitan, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip, Tipo-Tipo, Mohammad Ajul, Hji. Muhtamad, Tuburan, and Isabela City in Basilan.
In his message during the payout activity in Datu Dizal, Lamitan City, DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPC) Alan Tanjusay highlighted the significance of the beneficiaries’ contributions to help in the development of their respective communities.
The DSWD official also urged the recipients to use the grants wisely and responsibly, further noting that the journey to lasting peace begins at home and within individuals.
Other key officials who attended and shared their messages of peace were DSWD Field Office-9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) Director Riduan Hadjimuddin; Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer of Basilan Anwary Akalun; Lamitan City Administrator Ligaya Buenaventura; Battalion Commander of the 18th Infantry Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Mark Layug; and, Provincial Director of Basilan PPO Police Colonel Cerrazid Umabong.
The MNLF Transformation Program is a socio-economic initiative aimed at fostering peace and stability, and provides financial support and CFW opportunities to former MNLF members and their families.
This initiative was a collaborative effort between the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), the Philippine Army (PA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and concerned local government units (LGUs).
In a related activity, the DSWD Field Office-12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) conducted profiling activities for two former members of disbanded private armed groups (DPAGs) at the Lamitan Hostel.
Each former member received Php10,000 under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
The provision of cash aid was held as part of the broader mandate of the National Task Force for the Disbandment of Private Armed Groups (NTF-DPAGs), established on September 2, 2015, through Memorandum Circular No. 83.
The NTF-DPAGs oversees the disbandment of private armed groups in Bangsamoro and adjacent regions ensuring the effective implementation of peace-related policies and programs. (AKDL)
