Friday, October 26, 2007 8 countries commit P241 million for ex-MILF rebels
EIGHT countries have committed a total funding of some P241 million for peace and development in Mindanao, presidential adviser for peace process Jesus Dureza said during the BIMP-Eaga Investment Conference at Marco Polo Hotel on Wednesday.
Anticipating a final peace agreement to be signed within the coming months by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government, the eight countries are now laying the groundwork to help the MILF secessionist rebels return to normal life and rejoin their families.
"It's a long difficult process to bring them back to their normal lives in the villages where they came from," Dureza said.
"With our peace efforts, we take care of the conflict areas in Mindanao and improve the lives of these rebels simultaneously. That's what we're doing," he added.
The current funding commitment now totals US$4.6 million pledged under the Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF) and additional US$750,000 from the UK government.
More funding in millions of US dollars are expected to be poured into the island by the US, Canada, European Union, Sweden, Spain, Australia and Japan once the Mindanao peace agreement is finally signed by the MILF and the Philippine government, according to Dureza.
These funds will be used to build new homes for Moro rebel returnees, provide them with sustainable livelihood, rebuild villages and communities in war-torn areas, build new schools, construct water systems, and create farm-to-market roads.
Dureza admitted the millions in funding to be provided by the eight countries are proving to be a big incentive for both MILF and the government to work harder in hammering out a successful peace agreement that will be beneficial to both negotiating parties.
"You know, even if we sign a hundred peace agreements, if there's no livelihood component, there would be no peace and no development in Mindanao," Dureza stressed.
The funds to be provided by the eight countries are pledged to the MTF whose fund-raising goal is to reach US$50 million. The Social Integrated Program (SIP), which will absorb former MILF rebel fighters into the folds of the law and return them to mainstream society, has already earmarked P500 million for the plan once the Mindanao peace agreement is finally signed.
