COTABATO CITY — The sons and daughters of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants can now look ahead to a better and brighter future.
This, after 1,767 next-of-kin of MILF members received P25,000 each last December 10, 2025 through the Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities’ (TFDCC) Education Assistance Program (EAP).
The TFDCC is among the peace mechanisms of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and MILF, which is tasked to implement the Normalization Program under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The GPH-TFDCC, composed of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and other stakeholders, is helping decommissioned MILF combatants make the successful transition to peaceful and productive civilian life.
Leading the turnover of the financial assistance were Presidential Assistant David Diciano of Opapru’s Bangsamoro Transformation Office (OPABT) and DSWD’s Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) Central Office Director Miramel Garcia-Laxa.
“We are very pleased with today’s huge turnout of EAP beneficiaries. This is a strong indication that our MILF brothers and sisters truly value the education of their children,” Diciano said.
“And through the EAP, the national government is sending a strong message that it is determined to fulfill all its commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, particularly its socioeconomic component,” he noted.
Student beneficiaries from Cotabato City, Koronadal City, and the Municipality of Kabacan in North Cotabato trooped to the KCC Mall to receive the financial assistance that will cover their matriculation and other school fees for one semester.
Through Opapru funds that were downloaded to the DSWD’s PDBBM program for the former combatants, each of the EAP beneficiaries shall receive a total of P200,000 to pay for the four-year college courses they are enrolled in.
For the school year 2025-2026, the Opapru will fund the education of 6,050 students, in which the Mindanao State University (MSU) will manage the 3,400 grantees while the DSWD will handle the remaining 2,650.
Qualified beneficiaries underwent a four-step screening process, which was carried out by DSWD case managers. The procedures included the verification of the beneficiaries’ identity, checking of documentary requirements, and payout.
With the scholarships, the student-beneficiaries will no longer have to worry about where to source the funds for their college education, and at the same time, free up their family’s finances for other essential needs.
Also witnessing the turnover were Opapru Field Operations and Political Concerns Unit Director Anna Pacete, Localizing Normalization Initiative Program Manager Vincent Parreñas, and PDBBM Region 12 Program Coordinator Sora Pandi-Guialel. PR