Cotabato CIty—The national government has earmarked some P46 million for the technical education program in support of the Normalization Process under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
The program formed part of a normalization support package the agency is tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to implement for the government’s commitments under the CAB, according to Director-General Isidro Lapeña of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Director OmarKhayyam Dalagan of the Tesda in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the national government has earmarked a total of P46.25 million for skills development education that Moro beneficiaries can avail of under the peace package during the period of normalization, as provided in the peace agreement.
Dalagan said of the amount, P7.36 million will be allotted for Basilan province’s Private Education Students Financial Assistance, Training for Work Scholarship Program, and Universal Quality Tertiary Education Assistance.
Maguindanao will have its share of P18.59 million also allocated for PESFA, TWSP, and UQTEA, Dalagan said.
Lanao Sur will have P6.4 million for the three technical skills education scholarships. Sulu and Tawi-Tawi will have P 5.39 million and P 8.76 million, respectively, for PESFA, TWSP, and UQTEA.
Under Executive Order No. 79, the National Government adopts a Normalization Program “that is multi-faceted and covers the aspects of security, socio-economic development, sustainable livelihood, political participation, confidence-building, and transitional justice and reconciliation.”
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who signed EO 79 on Duterte’s behalf on April 24, said the President recognized the need “to fully implement the various components of the normalization process and capitalize on existing mechanisms and framework under the Annex on Normalization.”
Another component of the Normalization aspect of the peace process is the deactivation of forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, under which firearms will be turned over for safekeeping to an Independent Decommissioning Board, whose membership includes foreign transitional justice experts.
A long-term aspect of the normalization period is the transitional justice reconciliation commission, which will be created via congressional legislation.
