The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday said it has returned to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) the P658 million budget allocated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) for the fourth phase of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) decommissioning process.

Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Cluster said these funds from the OPAPRU were originally intended for the provision of socio-economic interventions to another set or decommissioned MILF combatants as part of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

“We were supposed to proceed with the fourth phase of the decommissioning process this year. However, since there were delays with the finalization of the official list of beneficiaries, the DSWD and the OPAPRU arrived at the mutual decision to return the funds allocated for the said phase to the Bureau of Treasury,” Tanjusay said.

The DSWD, as part of the Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and Communities chaired by the OPAPRU, is among the agencies mandated to provide packages of assistance to decommissioned combatants (DCs) and their families in the form of cash grants, livelihood grants, and endorsement for skills training.

The list of verified MILF beneficiaries is one of the requirements needed by the DSWD to be able to proceed with the provision of assistance for the reintegration process of the DCs.

Official list

The DSWD, however, has not received the official list of target beneficiaries for the fourth phase from the OPAPRU.

“Eventually, we returned the funds to prevent any potential violations of audit regulations and ensure that public funds are utilized responsibly,” Tanjusay explained.

With this adjustment, the ISPSC undersecretary said the agency anticipates the swift provision of necessary documents and beneficiary lists for 2025 to enable the seamless fund releases for the decommissioning process of former MNLF combatants.

“While delays and bottlenecks may arise, the DSWD remains committed to advancing the peace process and ensuring the successful implementation of the normalization program,” Tanjusay pointed out.

“We want to reassure everyone that the national government’s dedication to achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in BARMM will not be deterred,” the DSWD official said.

Signed by the Philippine government and the MILF in 2014, the normalization track under the CAB eyes to decommission a total of 40,000 MILF combatants in five phases.