97 MNLF Combatants Enter Socio-Economic Profiling Under OPAPRU Transformation Program

LAMITAN, BASILAN — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has successfully conducted a verification and socio-economic profiling of 97 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants as part of its ongoing transformation program.

According to Philippines News Agency, this recent profiling session took place on July 4 in Lamitan, Basilan, aligning with the terms established by the Government of the Philippines (GPH)-MNLF Management Committee. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve the socio-economic conditions of MNLF combatants, their families, and their communities under the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.

The MNLF Transformation Program, launched by OPAPRU in Basilan on September 30, 2023, has so far included 460 combatants who underwent similar processes. The program’s goals for the fiscal year 2023 include completing the profiling of all remaining MNLF combatants in the province, who are targeted beneficiaries of this national commitment.

In 2023, a total of 1,705 MNLF combatants underwent socio-economic profiling across several regions including Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Cotabato City, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and North Cotabato, highlighting the program’s extensive reach and ongoing commitment to peace and development in conflict-affected areas.