Maguindanao farmers get livelihood aid from GPH-MILF peace panels

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 23): Maguindanao farmers get livelihood aid from GPH-MILF peace panels

Leaders of farmers' groups here were elated by the livelihood projects extended them by the government and Moro rebels peace panels.

A huge warehouse, a wide solar dryer and a Corn Sheller will now help farmers bring farm produce to the market at less expenses, increasing their profitability and productivity.

On Thursday morning, Government Implementing Panel Chair Irene Santiago, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistant Secretary Rolly Asuncion, European Union Program Manager Emily Mercado and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF's) Atty. Haron Meling and Abhoud Syed M. Lingga turned over the facilities to the Ampatuan Bangsamoro Farmers' Association.

"Di na kami gagastos ng halos kalahati ng aming benta para dalhin sa bayan ang aming mga mais upang i-sheller at ibilad (Now, we don't need to spend almost half of our income from our harvests just to shell and dry our corns at the town center)," Bangsamoro Farmers Association president Norodin Baguinda said.

He personally received the turnover certificate of a Warehouse, Solar Dryer and Corn Sheller from the GPH and MILF peace panel representatives in ceremonies held here.

The turnover ceremony and completion program was held in Barangay Saniag, Ampatuan, Maguindanao one of the communities comprising Camp Omar, a camp identified with the MILF.

Peter Dedumo of OPAPP Mindanao said the project will benefit 1,008 Tedurays, Maguindanons and Ilongos in the village who were identified by the GPH-MILF Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation (JTFCT).

The project is part of the Camps Program funded by the Mindanao Trust Fund-Rehabilitation and Dev't Program (MTF-RDP) and implemented by Community and Family Services International (CFSI) for the six acknowledged MILF camps in the GPH-MILF Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=966702