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MILF's Camp Bushra gets PHP10M worth of projects as part of transformation process

ZAMBOANGA CITY, April 4 (PNA) - At least PHP10 million worth of socio-economic and infrastructure projects were turned over to residents of Camp Bushra, one of the recognized camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front  (MILF) in Lanao del Sur, as part of the transformation process "to rehabilitate camps into  productive, resilient and civilian-led communities."

Irene Santiago, chairperson of the government’s implementing panel, said the initiative is part of the confidence-building measures under the Annex on Normalization of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

“It actually shows the community that there are peace dividends,” Santiago said.

Under the three-year-old peace agreement, Camp Bushra is one of the six MILF camps recognized by the Philippine government. The others are camps Abubakar, Omar, Bad’r, Rajamuda and Bilal.

The socio-economic projects that were turned over on Monday included a solar dryer with warehouse and rice milling machine, two tire paths, a water system, a pathway and around PHP2 million worth of farm inputs. 

Task Force Camp Transformation (TFCT), which is composed of representatives from the government and the MILF, oversees the projects.

It is financed under the Mindanao Trust Fund for Reconstruction and Development Program (MTF-RDP) for the six previously acknowledged MILF camps.

The MTF-RDP is a multi-donor funding facility managed by the World Bank (WB) with technical assistance from the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and Community and Family Services International (CFSI).

Camp Bushra is the camp of MILF’s Eastern Mindanao Front. It is named after “the brave Caliph Ali.”

The camp is the home of former MILF Vice Chair Aleem Azis Mimbantas and has served as sanctuary of the late MILF Chair Ustadz Hashim Salamat during the all-out-war in 2000. Years later, both leaders were laid in peace at a secluded area of the camp.

Mohammad Salem, MILF coordinator for the TFCT, said part of the program is to capacitate the people’s organization in the area to “ensure that there is sustainability of the projects.”

Santiago said the camps transformation program is just one of several components under the peace deal.

She said there is a need for the people on the ground to feel the peace dividends, especially those areas that experienced “long deprivation” of basic services.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) also turned over on Monday a solar dryer with warehouse to residents in Barangay Ulitan, Unkaya Pukan and Barangay Guiong in Sumisip, Basilan.

The project is implemented by the BDA through the Bangsamoro Assistance for Development and Community Empowerment, a component of the MTF-RDP.

It is also a confidence building measure of the GPH-MILF as provided in the peace agreement. (PNA)
TPGJR/DARWIN WALLY T. WEE

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