MASTERPLAN. Master Development Plan of Bilal community housing project at sitio Kura-kura, Tamparan village of Munai town, Lanao del Norte. PHOTO BY RICHEL V. UMEL
ILIGAN CITY — At least 110 housing units for former combatants are now being built each in two former camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Norte.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru), said the resettlement projects launched in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte on Thursday, Dec. 19; and in sitio Kura- Kura,Tamparan in Munai, Lanao del Norte on Friday,
Dec. 20, hoped to transform the former MILF camps into communities thriving with economic opportunities, key components of the normalization process in a peace deal between the government and the former Moro rebel group.
Gov. Imelda “Angging” Quibranza -Dimaporo, who along with Member of the Parliament MP Abdullah Macapaar led the groundbreaking rites, said she recently met with President Marcos Jr. and that she was optimistic that the President would soon issue a Presidential Proclamation declaring 200 hectares of Camp Bilal as permanent settlement area.
Once approved, a land title would follow, said Al- Khwarizmi U. Indanan, regional director of the National Housing Authority (NHA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Of the 200 hectares, 12 hectares would be alloted for residential use, while the 188 hectares would be allotted for community development support facilities, Indanan said.
He added that Camp Abubakar in Barira town of Maguindanao del Norte and Camp Bilal in Munai, Lanao del Norte would have an initial 110 housing units, although BARMM had committed an additional 100 units for Camp Bilal.
“By January or February next year, a model unit will already be built on Camp Bilal for viewing to visitors,” he added.
Opapru funded the P180-million housing projects or at P90 million each through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) program, which aimed to turn six former MILF camps into peaceful and productive communities in the next six years.
The program also addresses area development of the former camps, community development, human security, providing a roadmap for transformation, according to Galvez.
“If there is no peace, there is no development, if there is development, there is peace,” he said.
“The groundbreaking ceremony of Camp Bilal is not only a testament to the national government’s commitment to uplifting the lives of the decommissioned combatants, their families and communities, but also a collective effort to bring greater peace, progress and development in the Bangsamoro,” he added.
He also said the project would give the decommissioned combatants renewed hope and a fresh start as they returned to mainstream society.
Macapaar, more popularly known as MILF’s Commander Bravo, thanked Opapru for the permanent housing units for the former MILF combatants and their families.
“We will continue to support the peace process for the development of our communities,” Macapaar said.