Manila: The government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) have signed several documents that aim to provide funds for the implementation of the "peaceful communities" programme.
The national government, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), signed on Friday a number of Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) with the Provincial Governments of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Sulu to formalise their partnership under Pamana or Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan programme (Peaceful and Resilient Communities).
"The MOA signing for Pamana projects in peace and development communities of MNLF is good news in this season of hope; it is a good way to end the year and start 2012 where implementation of the projects will start right away," Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles pointed out a speech.
The agreements provide for funds that will be used for projects in Peace and Development Communities or PDCs of the MNLF in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Quintos-Deles led the signing ceremonies at the OPAPP headquarters in suburban Pasig City, the event was attended by local chief executives who are MOA signatories, namely Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr., Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali, Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar, and Provincial Peace and Development Officer Dave Utto who represented Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu.
A budget totalling to P718 million (Dh 60.21 million) was earmarked under Pamana to benefit MNLF members in communities formerly known as MNLF bases that were transformed into Peace and Development Communities during the implementation of the 1996 government-MNLF Final Peace Agreement.
The Pamana-PDC will cover the construction of farm-to-market roads, bridges, warehouses, water supply systems, health centre, community peace centres, irrigation systems, among others.
Pamana, which is the government's program and framework for peace and development, aims to reduce poverty, improve governance and empower communities in situations of conflict.
She said that the 1996 FPA ushered in the constitution of PDCs, one of the mechanisms for the rehabilitation of the rebels and communities, providing them with new opportunities to find peaceful means of livelihood and other social and economic benefits.
Although Pamana is not part of the implementation of the peace pact, it still supports the PDCs as the government's direct action to further spur the economic activities of the people in MNLF areas.
The MNLF, which is led by Nur Misuari, had abandoned the armed conflict with the government during the administration of then president Fidel Ramos in 1996 in exchange of providing development projects to conflict damaged areas in Mindanao and integration of thousands of former MNLF rebels into the government armed forces.
