(Camp Badre/ 20 February 2023). Datukan K. Ebrahim, 58, is among the decommissioned combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chosen to undergo various support activities towards transformation and progress.

He is a father of nine (9) children, some of which are married already from whom he has grandchildren.

His source of income is through farming of corn and native bananas. This farming may not give luxurious life for his family but it’s his way to survive their day-to-day needs.

Commonly known as Bapa Thoks in their community at Brgy. Datalpandan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao, he recalls the past where the battle to peace was elusive and life was indeed hard.

“At the young age, I was already among the evacuees due to violence and protracted conflict”, Bapa Thoks said.

There is no further elaboration of his difficulties in life during those days but his appearance and sense of understanding to his responsibility as a ‘mujahideen’ manifest his life experience of courage and dedication to the Bangsamoro cause.

Bapa Thoks is the caretaker of the farm machinery provided by the current project on camps transformation, the PROACTIVE: Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violent Prevention and Economic Empowerment.

“Like the previous projects given to us, these are really beneficial to the community specially the road project, warehouse, and solar drier. These have huge impact in our community”, he stated.

Growing old to this journey in the Bangsamoro, Bapa Thoks is a witness of how peace is gradually taking place in this land through various support from partners.

“This peacefulness in the community is priceless that even if they give me a million in exchange of peace, I would not accept the money. Because peace gives more significance to the community greater than the money”, he said.

Bapa Thoks is happy that more than five years since the previous projects were implemented, it is still operational and serving the needs of the community.

“In managing these projects, we are not paid and sometimes we used our own pocket. But that is because we wanted to ensure that what were given to us will prosper and be sustainable” he stated.

According to Bapa Thoks, the organization has a maintenance fund being used for any problem encountered e.g., farm machinery. The fund comes from the income of the operation of the farming machine collected whenever a member utilizes the unit.

The group of Bapa Thoks, named as Kalilintad People’s Organization is selected as one of the recipients of the PROACTIVE, a collaborative programme of the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP – Philippines) and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) under the European Union Framework for Assistance to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Mindanao Peace and Development Programme - Peace and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MINPAD-PD BARMM).

Under the programme, the organization of Bapa Thoks is expected to undergo various assistance intended towards the goal on camps transformation and development such as support for agriculture-based enterprises and alternative/ vocational livelihood programs; market linkage support; livelihood capacity building support for groups and individuals and; micro-grants for scaling up or diversification of livelihoods.

With this PROACTIVE, Bapa Thoks is hopeful for better life ahead. Witness of war in the past, he is committed with his current task as caretaker of the project that will help keep peace in the community. (S.Zacaria/BDA Inc.)