Ex-Moro warriors now mechanized farmers, fishermen

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Former Moro guerillas in Midsayap, Cotabato were elated with a government livelihood equipment grant needed to improve their productivity while assimilating into mainstream society.

Ethnic Maguindanaon farmer Aliman Mantato, 43, told reporters Saturday the P83 million worth farming and fishing equipment released to them last week by the Bangsamoro local government ministry is a proof of the government’s commitment to forge ahead with the socio-economic goals of the Mindanao peace process.

Mantato, who joined the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 1983, is among thousands of residents in several BARMM barangays in Midsayap in Cotabato province under Administrative Region 12.

“Without livelihood support, our reintegration into the community shall surely be hard, tedious and possibly even impossible,” Mantato, who had pledged allegiance to the government, said in Filipino.

The farming equipment for the clustered BARMM barangays in Midsayap were turned over to local leaders by regional officials led by Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-BARMM, in the presence of representatives from the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front.

The combined farming and fishing equipment package is composed of 10 farm tractors rigged with mechanical rice and corn planters and disc plows, 10 units of rice and corn harvesters, five rice planters, eight combine harvesters and 300 fishing boats with engines and gears.

“This program can hasten the efforts of the national government and the BARMM regional government for former Moro combatants and their families to become productive while being reintegrated into mainstream society,” Army Brig. Gen. Donald Gumiran of the Army’s 602nd Brigade, said.

He said there is “fragile peace” now in the 63 Bangsamoro barangays in different towns in Cotabato, a result of the joint community peacebuilding projects of the MILG-BARMM, the local executives, the Philippine National Police and units in the province of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

A widow of an MILF member, the 61-year-old Badria Manalasal, said Saturday she is certain of an increase in catches of fresh water fishes by her two adult sons from the Liguasan Delta, which is close to their barangay, using a motorized boat from the MILG-BARMM.

Midsayap Mayor Rolly Sacdalan said he is thankful to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and the BARMM government for focusing attention on the needs of residents of the Bangsamoro barangays in their municipality.

“These barangays are not under our jurisdiction anymore, after residents voted in favor of the inclusion of their barangays into the core territory of BARMM during a plebiscite in 2019, but their welfare is still a big concern for us,” Sacdalan said Saturday.