Isabela City, Basilan (November 8, 2018) – “Malaking tulong
po talaga ang proyekto ng PAVE sa amin dahil nagkaroon na po kami ng
pangkabuhayan at magkakaroon na ng sariling bahay,” Leizel Arelon, a mother of
two and one of the housing and livelihood project beneficiaries in Barangay
Tubigan in the town of Maluso said.
Arelon’s
family is among the survivors of the August 2017 massacre perpetrated by the
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Barangay Tubigan. Houses were intentionally burned
and people died during the massacre.
The
reintegration program under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),
dubbed Program Against Violent Extremism (PAVE), is designed to provide
opportunities to ASG members who surrendered and returned to the fold of law to
become productive members of society and to assist the communities destroyed by
the conflict.
John
Louie Balagot, ARMM’s cabinet secretary and PAVE program manager emphasized
that helping the ASG returnees is just one part of the reintegration program
because the ARMM government is also doing engagements to affected communities
especially youth and women sectors, which have important roles in preventing
terrorism.
“Isa
din sa pinaka-objective ng program ay magkaroon ng reconciliation and healing
process between the victims and the ASG returnees,” Sec. Balagot said. The
communities who were affected by the massacre in 2017 received housing and
livelihood projects.
They
are also recipients of the ARMM’s Bangsamoro Regional Inclusive Development
with Growth and Equity food distribution program. The ARMM’s Health Education
Livelihood Peace and Governance and Synergy program, meanwhile, constructed
infrastructure projects in the community.
On
November 8, Sec. Balagot visited the Alternative Learning System class of 119
ASG returnees, a housing project, and a farming project, where beneficiaries
are being assisted in growing chili, cassava and vegetable.
“Gusto
na po namin ng kapayapaan at katahimikan kaya nagpapasalamat po kami sa
pagtanggap sa amin at pagbigay ng tulong para mas maayos namin ang buhay ng
pamilya namin,” Balaman Musad one of the ASG returnees said. Musad is helping
construct houses, is a recipient of the livelihood project, and is attending
ALS classes.
Muz-ar
Angkun, another beneficiary, also attended the ALS classes. “Inaayos ko na po
ang buhay ko ngayon para maging mabuting modelo sa aking mga anak at upang
hindi sila maligaw ng landas,” he said. “Bilang ama ng walong anak, ayoko pong
maranasan nila ang mga naranasan ko kaya nagsusumikap po ako ngayon para mas maging
mabuti silang tao,”Angkun added.
The
office of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman has earmarked P20 million for the
implementation of the program, which also covers assistance to returnees from
the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. (By JONG CADION with Bureau of Public Information)
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