Displaying items by tag: Development

(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.)

(BARANGAY KINEBEKA, Datu Odin Sinsuat Maguindanao Del Norte/ February 15, 2023).  Officials from the World Bank took a mission to a camp community of the MILF particularly in this village under Camp Badre on February 15, 2023.  

Ndiame Diop, Country Director for Philippines of World Bank said, “At the World Bank we truly value this partnership with the BARMM….and we have been supporting communities like yours for many years and we have been very committed to continue this collaboration”.

He also said that the visit was a part of a two day visit to discuss with different stakeholders for this partnership. Diop elaborated the purpose of the visit which is to have insights on the needs of the community and what are the ways forward.

He even recalled the Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF Phase 1-3) and how it developed many projects for the community and now they came with a new program through the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF) that will soon to start.

The visit encompassed a short community program that allowed the community members shared their needs, concerns and stories relevant to understand their life conditions in the camp.

“We are thankful, we are consulted as well as we participate in this and we are happy for it” Indigenous People (IP) Representative Agustin Apit said.

The open forum addressed issues on road accessibility issues which centered on ease access of the community to a farm to market road for their crops and other products. Alternative Learning System (ALS) in support to access to basic education for the community, packaged implementation instead of piece meal approach was pointed out as a more effective tool, lack of connectivity or signal which foster difficulty in communication and in schooling. Also, the pressing issue of climate change like deforestation, wherein this community was affected by the Typhoon Paeng last October 2022. 

During the community visit, Sokeyna Kane, Fragility, Conflict and Violence Director of World Bank said “We will try to fix the problem as much as we can…”.

She did mention the community driven development (CDD) and a long-term project implementation for the community as support and to promote the welfare of the community.

The said activity concluded with a fruitful community driven discussion. The visitors took home insights which will be paramount to the implementation of the upcoming program for the above-mentioned community related to Normalization in the Bangsamoro

February 15, 2023. The project team is recently working for the strengthening/organizing and validation of cooperatives and its members who are among the major beneficiaries of the project.

As the implementing agency, the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) has already mobilized its hired staff in meeting and courtesy with local government units and other stakeholders. Communities involved were also informed of the project during wide- orientations.

BDA Inc. likewise gained the continuing support and guidance of the Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation (JTFCT) through a meeting in January this year.

The agency has also witnessed handover and groundbreaking of some assistance.

As signed in the responsibility party agreement for the PROACTIVE between BDA Inc. and the UNDP Philippines, the program aims to contribute in enhancing local capacities to facilitate transition and transformation of the six (6) acknowledged camps of the MILF into peaceful and productive communities.

It is named as PROACTIVE: Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment. 

PROACTIVE is a collaborative programme of 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).

The project will work on three components such as inclusive and sustainable livelihoods, initial peace dividends and strengthening social cohesion and community resilience.

It covers sixteen (16) villages across the six identified major camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) based on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) namely Camp Abubakar As- Siddique, Camp Badre, Camp Bilal Bin Rabbah Darul Shuhadah, Camp Bushra Somiorang, Camp Omar Ibn Al-Khattab and Camp Rajamuda.