MISAMIS ORIENTAL — The Bangsamoro government has begun construction of 100 permanent housing units for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants in Lanao del Sur, a move officials say marks a shift from a history of conflict to a future of development.
The project in Barangay Sandab is funded through the Bangsamoro government’s Special Development Fund and is part of a broader initiative to transform six major MILF camps. The Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) is overseeing the project as part of the normalization process established under the regional peace agreement.
“As of date, the ministry has built and is building more than 5,000 houses across the region,” said MHSD Minister Hamid Aminoddin Barra. “Of this, we have already turned over 3,000 units. This initiative will add 600 more housing units as we build 100 units in each of the six camps.”
Each 48-square-meter home will include three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living area. Beyond the individual houses, the site will be equipped with road networks, a solar power system, solar streetlights, and a Level II water system.
Additional community facilities will include a health station, a covered court, and a multipurpose building.
The location, Darul Iman Camp Bushra Somiorang, holds deep historical significance for the MILF, having hosted a major general assembly in 1996.
“What was once a site of conflict is now becoming a cradle of hope and development,” said Member of Parliament and camp coordinator Basit Abbas.
The project aligns with the Master Development Plan launched by the national government through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity in early 2024.