THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) and the Mindanao State University (MSU) led the awarding of checks to 171 student-grantees, who are children of the decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants on Nov. 5, 2024.
The distribution of checks, amounting to P25,000 each per semester, was part of the Educational Assistance Program, a key component of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The CAB, the landmark peace deal signed between the Philippine government and the MILF in 2014, sought to help former combatants transition to peaceful civilian life.
A crucial aspect of this program was providing educational support for their children and family members.
The program, with a budget of P54 million for 2024, aimed to support 1,050 students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in various higher education institutions throughout Mindanao by providing P50,000 each per school year.
It represented a shared commitment of the government and the MILF to foster a more peaceful and prosperous future for the Bangsamoro region.
