Barbers pledges P10-M for Mindanao fund

Sen. Robert Barbers pledged P10 million yesterday to the Mindanao Peace and Development Fund that is now worth at least P500 million.

The money will come from the senator’s P200-million pork barrel for this year. But Barbers said he is sending 100 sacks of rice to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as his personal contribution to the fund.

The peace fund was set up by 50 Mindanao congressmen who contributed P5 million each from their pork barrel allocations, for a total of P250 million. President Arroyo matched the solons’ contributions, bringing the fund to P500 million.

Barbers, who comes from Surigao del Norte, said part of the money should be used for livelihood programs for people displaced by hostilities in many areas in Mindanao.

"A lot of properties have been destroyed and hundreds of families have been displaced due to armed hostilities between the military and Muslim secessionists. While it is important to take the necessary steps to end the fighting. I believe it is equally significant for us to look into the predicament and anguish of innocent civilian victims. Let us help them start lives anew," he said.

He also proposed that ARMM officials be tasked to spearhead the peace and development campaign in Mindanao.

They are the most knowledgeable about the situation in their areas, he said.

It is not known if the solons’ pledges to the peace fund are now available since the P804 billion 2003 budget, from which they will come, had just been signed last week. — Jess Diaz