Various socio-economic infrastructures were turned-over by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the towns of Butig, Lumbayanague, and Masiu on Monday, April 3, to aid the transformation of Camp Bushra into a progressive community.
The projects include level II water system, solar dryer with warehouse and rice mill, concrete pathways, box culverts, support to vegetable and inland fishpond production, and Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Government Implementing Panel for the Bangsamoro Peace Accords Chairperson Irene Santiago led the turnover as part of the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
Santiago was accompanied by Office on the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistance Secretary Atty. Ma. Cecilia Papa, Community and Family Services International (CFCSI) Executive Director Dr. Steven Muncy, World Bank Representative Mr. Roy Tordecilla, Task Force Camp Transformation (TFCT)-Camp Bushra Chairman Osama Ali and co-chair Jannati Mimbantas, Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) Chairman Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, MILF-TFCT Coordinator Mohamad Saleh, and members of the Civilian Protection Component of the International Monitoring Team (CPC-IMT).
The projects include level II water system, solar dryer with warehouse and rice mill, concrete pathways, box culverts, support to vegetable and inland fishpond production, and Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Government Implementing Panel for the Bangsamoro Peace Accords Chairperson Irene Santiago led the turnover as part of the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
Santiago was accompanied by Office on the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistance Secretary Atty. Ma. Cecilia Papa, Community and Family Services International (CFCSI) Executive Director Dr. Steven Muncy, World Bank Representative Mr. Roy Tordecilla, Task Force Camp Transformation (TFCT)-Camp Bushra Chairman Osama Ali and co-chair Jannati Mimbantas, Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) Chairman Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, MILF-TFCT Coordinator Mohamad Saleh, and members of the Civilian Protection Component of the International Monitoring Team (CPC-IMT).
The Government and MILF peace implementing panels previously agreed to undertake necessary projects for the transformation of the six acknowledged MILF camps, which included Camp Bushra, as part of the confidence-building measures provided in the Annex of Normalization of the CAB.
The projects were funded under the Mindanao Trust Fund - Reconstruction and Development Program (MTF-RDP), a multi-donor grant facility administered by the World Bank.
During the turn-over program, Hadji Ismail, President of Satamerah Association, conveyed his appreciation for the projects.
He said the projects are the fruits of the cause and struggle of the Bangsamoro and the presence of the GPH and MILF representatives and other guests showed their concerns in rebuilding the Bangsamoro community.
Satamerah is one of the recipient-people's organizations for farming inputs, capability-building, and other support services for vegetable production.
Santiago, in her message, underscored the important role of everyone in attaining peace and development.
"The secret to peace is us. Hindi ang gobyerno, hindi ang mga proyekto o ano pa man, kundi tayong lahat mismo ang sekreto sa kapayapaan," she said.
Ali, on the other hand, said giving more livelihood and economic opportunities to the grassroots will capacitate the community to be active participants in the peace-building efforts.
Meanwhile, Tordecilla said the World Bank is thankful for the peace process between the government and the MILF and for creating an enabling environment for development to happen.
Camp Bushra has five vanguard municipalities: Butig, Masiu, Lumbayanague, Sultan Dumalondong and Lumbatan.(APB/PIA-10)
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