Gov’t service caravan brings aid to former Moro combatants

HEALTH CHECK A government health worker examines a former Moro combatant during a government-initiated multi-service caravan in Lamitan City, Basilan, on Feb. 25. —OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY

LAMITAN CITY—Thousands of decommissioned Moro combatants and members of their respective families were reached by the service caravan held by the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization (ICCMN) recently in the city.

Rajan Abdurahman, a deputy commander on guerrilla and military affairs, explained that out of the 10,000 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under their base command, only 750 were decommissioned.

“These 750 took their families to enjoy the services of the caravan. This is the first time. More than 200 (former combatants) decommissioned from the side of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) also took advantage of the services offered in the caravan,” Abdurahman said.

Girizal Aslain Aujal and his wife, Sarah, were beaming with excitement upon entering the Lamitan City gymnasium on Feb. 25, where every corner offered different government services and they could secure goods, medicines, among others, on the spot.

“We are happy. Baguindan used to be troubled but we now enjoy the affect of the peace process,” Aujal said in the dialect, proudly showing his identification card as a decommissioned combatant.

He said money, educational assistance packages, livelihood, and Philhealth membership were their priority, adding his children could now be assured of support to pursue college education.

Different services

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr., said the ICCMN caravan was composed of 24 member-agencies, including six ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The services provided include support for agriculture, health consultation and medical checkup, registration Witt the Philippine Statistic Authority, application for PhilHealth membership, application for passports, amnesty application, registration of groups with the Cooperative Development Authority, among others.

Galvez said they seek to attune their support to the local conditions.

Basilan was not part of the six MILF camps that are top priority for normalization. The Feb. 25 even was the first time the caravan extended its services in the province.

Lamitan City Mayor Roderick Furigay hailed the caravan “as it unites people in bringing essential services and opportunities to our MILF brothers and sisters and other beneficiaries—a reflection of shared commitment to peace and development in the Bangsamoro region.”