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COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Parliament has approved a measure to establish an office that will provide financial aid to Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) mujahideen who are senior citizens or permanently disabled.

Under the BTA Bill No. 44, the Office of the Bangsamoro Mujahideen Under Special Circumstance (OBMUSC) will oversee the implementation of the program. Qualified recipients, including senior citizens or those with permanent, partial, or total disabilities within the ranks of MILF and MNLF, will be entitled to a minimum monthly aid of P7,000.

In the first year of implementation, recipients will receive a lump sum of P84,000, followed by quarterly allowances in the subsequent years. To fund this initiative, an initial of P500 million will be appropriated, integrated into the annual budget of the Office of the Chief Minister.

The eligibility criteria outlined in the bill include mujahideen who participated in the struggle for the right to self-determination of the Bangsamoro people between 1969 and 2014 for a minimum of 20 years. These individuals must also belong to the underprivileged sector.

Permanent partial disabilities, as defined by the law, include complete and permanent loss of any finger, one arm, one foot, any toe, one hand, one leg, one or both ears, hearing of one or both ears, sight of one eye, and other cases approved by the OBMUSC.

While permanent total disabilities are due to injuries or diseases causing complete, irreversible, and permanent incapacity that renders a member unable to work or engage in any gainful occupation, resulting in a loss of income.

Qualifying disabilities include complete loss of sight for both eyes, loss of two limbs at or above the ankle or wrists, permanent complete paralysis of two limbs, brain injury resulting in incurable imbecility or insanity, and other cases approved by OBMUSC.

Committee on Social Services and Development Chair, Engr. Aida Silongan, highlighted the necessity of reciprocating the sacrifices of the mujahideen through recognition, respect, and the allocation of the necessary support.

“Mahabang panahon ang sinakripisyo ng mga mujahideen, maraming buhay ang nalagas, maraming dugo ang dumanak alang-alang lamang sa kapakanan ng Bangsamoro,” Silongan said, recognizing the long period during which the mujahideen dedicated their lives to the cause.

She reiterated the Parliament’s commitment to providing a tangible form of assistance to the mujahideen, emphasizing the importance of ensuring their well-being and the well-being of their families.

“By providing this form of assistance, we reassure our mujahideen and mujahidaat and their families that we are not leaving them behind, but rather, we are giving them the opportunity to lead dignified and fulfilling lives,” Silongan added.

Other powers and functions of the OBMUSC include extending assistance to qualified beneficiaries; maintaining an updated list or register of qualified beneficiaries; and conducting a mandatory review of the current cost of living adjustment to determine the sufficiency of the allowance every three years.

A technical working group from the OCM and the CSSD will be formed to coordinate with the MILF and MNLF central committees on the list of qualified and validated recipients.

Prior to the bill’s approval, public consultations were held across all provinces and Special Geographic Areas in the region, gathering opinions and recommendations from various stakeholders, including MNLF and MILF veterans, internally displaced persons, local leaders, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.

Silongan said that the measure aligns with the BARMM chief minister’s priority agenda and clarified that the benefits granted are lifetime and non-transferable. (LTAIS- Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)