The government has set a self-imposed deadline for decommissioning former Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters before the midterm elections in 2025, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez said Thursday.

Secretary Galvez said the government has formed an Independent Decommissioning Body, or IDB, which has developed a comprehensive plan to go about the process using global best practices on disarmament and demobilization.

"This is a comprehensive plan to carry out the decommissioning process for our MILF brothers and sisters until its completion, as well as the normalization program that will aid them in their transition," he said.

As of 10 August, the IDB has recorded 26,132 MILF combatants, with 4,625 of their firearms successfully decommissioned since 2015.

Galvez earlier said the government targets to complete the decommissioning of the remaining 1,301 MILF combatants ahead of the first-ever parliament election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

He explained that the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace and Reconciliation, or OPAPRU, is collaborating with other government agencies concerned with undertaking the decommissioning process.

"We would like to address the perception by some that the decommissioning process is the sole responsibility of OPAPRU. This is not the case because the process is an inclusive, concerted, and holistic effort," he said.

He pointed out that the decommissioning program provides emergency employment, social entrepreneurship projects, and skills development training to the former combatants.

"It's very critical that we build on the peace gains and ensure continuing progress in the BARMM," he added.

Under the decommissioning program, qualified family beneficiaries are given a Bangsamoro Transitory Family Support Package amounting to P80,000 and livelihood settlement grants of P20,000.