Socioeconomic projects in Mindanao cease without DAP

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Beneficiaries of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program were saddened by its suspension after the Supreme Court’s declared the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional.

Junalyn Sumlay, executive director of the Magungaya Center, said in North Cotabato alone, 22 areas in Midsayap, Aleosan, Pikit, Kabacan and Matalam towns benefited from the PAMANA socio-economic interventions.

The peace and development-oriented non-government organization Sumlay is representing is a "third party observer" to the implementation of PAMANA projects in North Cotabato.

The PAMANA Peace and Development Community (PDC) projects in North Cotabato, such as farm-to-market roads, river and beach dock facilities, multi-purpose buildings, and post-harvest facilities, were implemented in farming enclaves where members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) reside.

“Practically local government units cannot afford to provide these socio-economic projects so we are really hoping that the implementation of PAMANA-PDC will continue,” Sumlay said.

Sumlay said they are worried of the irreversible setbacks the suspension of the PAMANA-PDC projects can cause to impoverished communities of former rebels adhering religiously to the Sept. 2, 1996 government-MNLF peace agreement.

She said only five of the 66 PAMANA projects in five North Cotabato towns remained to be completed so far.

Among the five still unfinished projects is a solar dryer and a multi-purpose building in Barangay Lumupog in Midsayap.

“People there are hoping these projects will proceed since these will help generate employment for them,” Sumlay said.

MNLF leaders in Tawi-Tawi, a component province of ARMM, are also complaining on the suspension of the PAMANA projects.

The suspension of the PAMANA projects of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process is a consequence of the Supreme Court’s having ruled that the DAP is illegal.

Phaysal Aral, an MNLF commander during the 1970s, said the PAMANA projects in Tawi-Tawi have benefited former Moro rebels that fought state security forces for decades prior to the crafting of their Sept. 2, 1996 peace accord with government.

He said all of the PAMANA socio-economic projects in their communities have religiously been completed.

"Still, we cannot help but worry of the bad effects of the suspension of many on-going projects for MNLF communities in other parts of ARMM," Aral said.

“These PAMANA projects brought hope and progress to our communities,” said Aral, known as “Omar Shariff” when he was still a guerilla commander during the MNLF uprising in the ‘70s.

Among the PAMANA projects in Tawi-Tawi were classroom buildings for children of MNLF members.

The buildings were constructed in Barangay Sanga-Sanga in Bongao island town, scene of major encounters between MNLF forces and the military at the height of the Mindanao Moro rebellion more than 30 years ago.

“We need more PAMANA projects for MNLF communities,” said Mohammad Noe Jamalludin, also a former rebel commander, who is residing in Bongao.

He said the PAMANA program has provided them with a health center right in their community.

The PAMANA projects are funded out of the DAP, which the High Tribunal already declared as illegal, prompting the suspension by the OPAPP of its implementation in former guerilla enclaves in far-flung areas in Southern Mindanao.