MANILA – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) and Lanao del Norte’s provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the Localizing Normalization Implementation (LNI) program for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members.
OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo signed the agreement on April 23.
"The cross-cutting initiative, which aims to uplift the lives of MILF members, their families, and communities, is designed to adapt to broader peace and normalization efforts, as well as the socioeconomic conditions in Lanao del Norte," the OPAPRU said in a statement Thursday.
The LNI also seeks to address security enhancement, socio-economic growth, livelihood enhancement, political participation, confidence-building measures, and transitional justice and reconciliation.
Galvez said the program's success is anchored on the “continued support and cooperation from all stakeholders.”
"This multi-stakeholder approach, which is anchored on the principle of consensus-building, is essential for the success and sustainability of our efforts," he said.
Dimaporo, who presided over a meeting between Lanao del Norte’s provincial government and OPAPRU, called the signing a significant step for the province towards achieving sustainable peace.
"We are now together for a more peaceful province that all the children, the children of our children, will benefit,” she said.
Ariel Hernandez, chair of the GPH-Joint Normalization Committee and socioeconomic cluster head of the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization, said the LNI would focus on the provincial setting.
Under this new framework, local government units (LGUs) in Lanao del Norte will lead in executing normalization and transformation projects, tailoring interventions to meet the specific needs in their areas.
This approach ensures the direct involvement of LGUs in the peace-building processes.
The LNI is designed to support the overarching goals of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the landmark peace agreement signed in 2014 between the government and the MILF. (PNA)
