COTABATO CITY/ March 31, 2023. Cooperatives in communities within the identified camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) received farm machineries as part of the support relevant to assist them become more productive and progressive members of the society.
In Brgy. Sandab, Butig, Lanao del Sur- Camp Bushra, the handover ceremony of 2 units of farm machinery with harvester was on March 29, 2023, as received by two cooperatives namely Bangsamoro Unified Team into Growth (BUTIG) and Poktan Bangsamoro Rehabilitation Farmers Marketing Cooperative.
In Brgy. Dungguan, Datu Montawal, Maguindanao- Camp Rajamuda, the hand-over ceremony happened on February 28, 2023.
Kudal- Dugguan Farmers Fisherfolks Association received one rice combine harvester machine.
“I thought of how can I help those in-need, so I pursue forming this association though my knees are getting older” Margian Dataya stated. He is the president of said association.
The barangay local government unit remarked that: “We are very glad that the community focused on development at the barangay level through the efforts of our community dwellers because we crave for development.”
In Brgy. Tamparan, Munai, Lanao del Norte- Camp Bilal, the handover ceremony was conducted on March 7, 2023.
There were two cooperatives who received the support namely Pagnawan Bangsamoro Agriculture Cooperative and Alhajj Bravo Macapaar Coperative.
Key officials from partners attended the event like Cesar D. De Mesa, executive director of the Bangsamoro Transition; BGen. Cesar B. Yano (Ret.), GPH Implementing Panel Chair for then GPH-MILF Peace Accord and; Dir. Farrah Grace V. Naparan, chief of staff of the Joint Normalization Division of OPAPRU.
Also present were officials from the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT), Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities (TFDCC), local government unit, and community members.
“Let us help each other, we will continue supporting communities who also help themselves” Chairman Yano said.
“Our project PROACTIVE is under the normalization track. It covers the six major camps and are working to turn these communities into a peaceful, productive and developed communities” Melanio Adao, Project Analyst of UNDP stated.
The ceremony highlighted the passing of the responsibility to the cooperatives who will manage the operation, maintenance and sustainability of the machineries.
The provision of farm machineries is part of the intervention relevant to the Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment (PROACTIVE)- a collaborative programme of the United Nations 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).
