THE LABOR department will give P100 million to former Muslim rebels as part of the government’s normalization efforts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The agency and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the assistance.

“As more Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants undergo the decommissioning process, we must accelerate our efforts to create the conditions where they can earn a sustainable living, provide for the needs of their families and become productive and peaceful members of society,” peace adviser Carlito G. Galvez Jr. said during ceremonies yesterday.

Some investors are also looking at investing in the new autonomous region, which would make the Labor department’s assistance timely, he added.

Under the deal, the agency will provide jobs and livelihood to six rebel camps in the autonomous region, which is undergoing rehabilitation and normalization.

This will also help the government enforce the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro, particularly the socioeconomic development aspect of deal.

The Bangsamoro normalization is an important part of the Duterte administration’s efforts to achieve peace in Mindanao by 2022, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III told reporters at a briefing. — Gillian M. Cortez

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