MILF lauds President Aquino's sincerity in bringing peace to Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 7): MILF lauds President Aquino's sincerity in bringing peace to Mindanao

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Thursday lauded the visit of President Benigno S. Aquino III to Maguindanao on Monday as a gesture of sincerity in bringing peace to the island.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chair for political affairs, said the launcing of "Sajahatra Bangsamoro" in the bailiwick of the MILF simply shows the President and his government is determined and sincere in finding solution to the Mindanao conflict. “It simply sends a message that the government is sincere in solving the Bangsamoro problem,” Jaafar said.

Jaafar said more people, not only the MILF, will benefit from government services once the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro will be fully implemented. “He is the only President who will bring government services to most Bangsamoro people who felt neglected for decades,” Jaafar said. “We really feel the sincerity of this government.”

On Monday, President Aquino will lead the launching of the "Sajahatra Bangsamoro" together with his Cabinet secretaries and MILF officials. Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras explained that "Sajahatra" is an Arabic term which means "blessing, prosperity and peace."

He said the "Sajahatra Bangsamoro" the Aquino government is launching in Sultan Kudarat, a basic services program for MILF communities, will be held at the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute in Sultan Kudarat.

Also expected in attendance are heads of government agencies that provide basic services such as the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Health (DOH), Agriculture (DA), Education (DepEd), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Auhtority (TESDA).

Among the highlights of the program is a medical mission wherein MILF members will be given PhilHealth cards. "There will be a symbolic turnover of a PhilHealth card to the (MILF) chairman (Al Haj Murad Ebrahim) himself," Almendras said in a statement.

Other activities include enhanced education programs in madaris schools and distribution of scholarship grants by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to Muslim students joining the state universities and colleges in Mindanao. On the other hand, TESDA will be offering training programs to help MILF members become more productive.

The DA, meanwhile, will be distributing seeds and provide new planting technology to help conflict-affected communities.

"The MILF are major beneficiaries in this program. They will benefit from Philhealth programs, they will benefit from health programs, they will benefit from DA programs, and many others," Almendras said.

"This is what Sajahatra is all about, you have to show them blessings, prosperity and peace. This will happen when there is peace."

President Aquino will be joined by Cabinet secretaries and the top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP). The Malaysian third-party facilitator and members of the International Monitoring Team and foreign dignitaries will also be present.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, said simultaneous with the visit of President Aquino is the holding of the Fluvial Caravan for Peace in Rio Grande de Mindanao.

The fluvial caravan will start at the Tabiran Market in Kabuntalan Mother and pass through the Rio Grande towards the Sultan Bolkiah Grand Mosque in Barangay Kalangan, Cotabato City.

Hermoso added the Sports for Peace inside Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao will develop camaraderie between soldiers and members of the MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=495152