In a significant move to support education, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) has provided P25,000 educational grants to 237 children of former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters. The distribution took place during a ceremony held on December 20, 2024, at Mindanao State University in Maguindanao.
The event was graced by key figures including Brig. Gen. Buenaventura Pascual, who leads the Government of the Philippines Management Committee, Minister Muslimin Sema from the Ministry of Labor and Employment in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and MSU Chancellor Bai Hejira Limbona. Sema, also a leader within a faction of the MNLF, highlighted that a total of 287 children or relatives of documented former MNLF combatants across Mindanao have benefited from this initiative.
The term ‘profiled MNLF’ refers to individuals officially recognized by OPAPRU, with their details, including firearms, recorded in a government database. Brig. Gen. Pascual emphasized the importance of the program in supporting the ongoing education of these students, describing it as a collaborative effort between OPAPRU, under Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., and the MNLF-GPH Committee, chaired by Sema.
One of the beneficiaries expressed deep appreciation for the grant, viewing it as a tangible peace dividend resulting from the MNLF’s dialogue with the government. The recipient committed to completing their education and contributing to the government in the future, underscoring the grant’s role in fostering peace and development.