By Priam Nepomuceno | Philippine News Agency
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said it has completed socioeconomic profiling of 458 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Sulu.
In a news release on Tuesday night (July 1), the OPAPRU said the socioeconomic profiling which ran from June 24 to 28, was conducted in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Integrated Provincial Health Office and rural health offices, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Each beneficiary received a transitional cash assistance amounting to P45,000 from the DSWD, with the agency disbursing a total of P20.61 million in cash aid.
Qualified MNLF members also received rice provisions from the OPAPRU, PhilHealth coverage, and civil registration assistance from the PSA.
The Mindanao State University-Sulu and General Santos campuses; and Sulu State College took care of the socio-economic profiling process of combatants, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the MNLF jointly secured the activity.
The socioeconomic profiling is a process under the MNLF Transformation Program that aims to help the MNLF members, combatants, their families, and communities in becoming self-reliant, productive, and empowered individuals.
It is an important step in gathering data and assessing the socioeconomic status of MNLF members so that they can avail of more and better livelihood opportunities.
Reintegrating former rebels into society
OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. underscored the steadfast determination of the Marcos administration to fulfill all of the government’s commitments under the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA).
He said, “Patuloy ang aming pakikipagtulungan sa liderato ng MNLF upang maisigurado ang pagsisimula ng transpormasyon at pag-unlad ng bawat MNLF combatant, kanilang pamilya at komunidad lalong-lalo na dito sa Sulu.”
This initiative is under the agency’s MNLF Transformation Program, which is among the government’s commitments under the 1996 FPA.
Under the program, a total of 2,000 MNLF combatants in Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, North Cotabato, and Cotabato City were profiled.
A total amount of P90 million in transitional cash assistance has been released to the beneficiaries.
Also this year, 537 MNLF-owned firearms were documented from the municipalities of Patikul and Talipao in Sulu province.
The OPAPRU, through its MNLF Peace Process Office, aims to implement the second phase of the profiling in Sulu within the year. (PNA)
