by Lou Ellen L. Antonio
MUNAI, Lanao del Norte (PIA)–Around 400 decommissioned and non-decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants in Bilal community here and Balo-i town, Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade members and their families received Certificates of Live Birth (COLB) through the ‘Access to Legal Identity and Social Services for Decommissioned Combatants’ (ALIAS-DC) project.
The project is being implemented by the Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment Through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS) program and funded by the European Union, the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, Japan, and The Asia Foundation.
ALIAS-DC is also among the commitments of the Government of the Philippines through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPPRU) under the Normalization Track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
The wives of the MILF members in the Bilal community are happy that they received their COLBs. Salam Buanding said it will not be difficult for her to pursue education and apply for identification cards with her birth certificate.
“Masaya ako kasi maraming benefits yung may birth certificate. Kagaya sa gusto ko magtrabaho sa ibang bansa, pwede akong mag-apply kasi may maipapakita na akong birth certificate,” she said.
(I am happy because having a birth certificate has many benefits. For example, if I want to work in another country, I can apply because I now have my birth certificate)
Meanwhile, Aminah Abdullah said the program is helpful in bringing civil registration applications closer to their community to acquire birth certificates.
OPAPPRU Acting Secretary Isidro Purisima underscored the importance of the program as the combatants can finally drop their ‘nom de guerre’ and aliases and use their legal names after receiving their COLBs.
“Sa pamamagitan ng proyektong ito, mabibigyang kilanlan ang ating mga kapatid na MILF. Dahil dito ay magkakaroon na sila kapasidad na magsagawa ng mga legal na transaksyon sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng gobyerno at makatanggap ng socio-economic assistance mula sa mga ito tulad ng Philhealth coverage, scholarship grants, at marami pang iba,” said Purisima.
Purisima also emphasized the need to change the perspectives and attitudes of the MILF members to fully transform their lives. Some other transformation programs.
Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Transition Authority Member of Parliament Abdullah Macapaar, more popularly known as Commander Bravo, is thankful for the program. He also emphasized the importance of sustaining peace for the development of communities. He also hopes the government will continue to support them in transforming their lives.
IDEALS Executive Director Edgardo Ligon said they help decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their families access social services by acquiring identification cards or documents. Moreover, IDEALS Program Manager Marco Bayadog shared that they were able to accommodate 35,665 civil registration applications 10 months after the launch of the program. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
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