ZAMBOANGA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has completed the handover of 300 housing units to former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and their families in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay, advancing government efforts to reintegrate vulnerable communities into society.
According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s broader program aimed at ensuring the proper reintegration of the nation's most vulnerable groups, including indigenous peoples and former combatants. The turnover event, led by Secretary Gatchalian along with Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity, took place in the town of Sibuco on August 30. They distributed certificates of ownership to approximately 200 indigenous individuals from the Sama, Kalibugan, and Subanen communities.
Further support for the region is slated through the construction of an additional 75 housing units funded by the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program - Modified Shelter Assistance Project (MSAP). This is set to commence soon with the backing of the local government unit of Sibuco. Gatchalian highlighted ongoing collaborations with local leaders, including Sibuco Mayor Joel Ventura, to enhance the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), ensuring that beneficiaries have not only housing but also sustainable sources of income.
The MSAP, a collaboration between the DSWD and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity, provides limited financial or material support to augment family resources for constructing homes in designated relocation sites. The recent completion of MSAP units marks a continuation of efforts to assist former MNLF combatants and their families, with an earlier batch of 100 units being turned over in Barangay Caparan, Ipil town on August 29.
Additionally, Undersecretary Tanjusay has also facilitated the provision of PHP40 million in checks to former MNLF combatants on Mabuhay Island, aiding the start of 100 new MSAP housing units through a cash-for-work program on land donated by the Ipil local government.
From 2017 to 2023, the PAMANA MSAP has successfully delivered 1,160 housing units across the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) and Davao Region (Region 11), with total funding of PHP247.2 million and an additional PHP10.3 million for cash-for-work components.