A Palace official on Saturday stressed that the Marcos administration remains committed to a “peaceful and safe” Mindanao region.
Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision to rebuild a progressive Mindanao is yielding positive results after the government’s peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“The completion of the third phase signifies the strong partnership of the government and the MILF to pursue a singular mission of transforming the Bangsamoro…..reflective of the President’s vision to build a Bangsamoro that is self-governing, progressive, and effective,” Lagdameo said, during a decommissioning activity in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte.
“The national government also maintains its dedicated support and commitment to the other aspects of the Normalization Program such as socioeconomic development, security, transitional justice and reconciliation, and confidence-building measures including amnesty,” he added.
The decommissioning process is part of the government’s Normalization Program which signals the official transitioning of former combatants into mainstream society as productive and peaceful citizens.
Lagdameo shared that 5,499 decommission combatants have been provided with cash assistance; and, around 35,000 birth certificates have been processed.
Moreover, 3,000 decommissioned combatants completed their skills training with TESDA, while 3,658 and their next-to-kin have finished their basic education through the Alternative Learning System.
From 2015 to 2022, a total of 28,844 MILF combatants and 4,625 firearms have been decommissioned, 5,499 of which were decommissioned
under the Marcos admin.
The construction of three community irrigation systems in Maguindanao and the near completion of six Rural Health Units with Birthing
Facilities were all scheduled for turnover this year, according to Lagdameo.
Lagdameo further stated that he hopes that the peace talks between the administration and MILF “stay on course” in building lasting peace in
Bangsamoro.
“I urge, especially our partners in local government and other stakeholders, that we continue working together towards lasting unity,
and build on the confidence and goodwill between us,” he said.
