Ferrer visits Munai for brigada eskwela

 MARIZ REVALES 

Munai, Lanao del Norte – Chief negotiator of the Government of the Philippines –MILF peace panel Miriam Coronel Ferrer visited this interior town in the province last June 8,  for her last leg of the extended Brigada Eskwela spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) together with the 2^nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 15^th Infantry Battalion, 5^th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Department of Education (DepEd), Lanao del Norte and the Local Government Unit  (LGU) of Munai, Department of Health (DOH) and Task Forces for Campas Transformation.  School children came from Old Poblacion where  MILF’s Camp Bilal is located, Tambo and Panglao saw soldiers and Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces- Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( BIAF-MILF) worked together to repair school buildings damaged by armed conflict. The soldiers also offered free haircut and dental outreach.

Brigada Eskwela is a symbolic part of the normalization process when the combatants start to work together in rebuilding and development efforts in areas where is devastated by conflict.

 The MILF’s peace deals with the government – the 2013 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro – aim to transform rebels into peace and development advocates.

 The Brigada Eskwela started in Butig town in Lanao del Sur; Pikit, Cotabato, and in Pagalungan in Maguindanao.

“Seeing soldiers and their former enemies work together to improve schools in areas devastated by conflicts is heart-rending,” a Maranaw school teacher said.

Soldiers and former Muslim rebels offered school children with food and medicine.

Col Gilbert Gapay, Brigade Commander of the 2^nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade in his speech said that he was so thankful that soldiers are part of the DepEd’s  Brigada Eskwela which is very much significant and meaningful.  “In my almost 30 years in the service of being a soldier, I have been a witnessed and participated in many brigada eskwela in the past years, but I find that this time is a very special and unique, since we had been  working side by side with our brothers from  MILF, DepEd and OPAPP”, Gapay said.  He said everyone seen and felt the importance of education, peaceful coexistence, aiming for a better future for everybody. “ Umasa kayo na ang 2^nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade,  ang AFP ay patuloy na sumusuporta sa mga programa, adhikain at mga proyekto tungo sa kapayapaan”, Gapay said.

DepEd Superintendent, Emmalinda E. Duhaylungsod has urged the leaders of the town, MILF and the parents of the school children to help them request the DepEd national  to build and establish an Integrated High School in the area.   

In his part, Munai Mayor Moammar “Wowie” Maquiling was very much elated  that Chief negotiator Ferrer  was able to attend the Brigada Eskwela despite of her hectic schedule. He was also happy for the dental outreach and free haircuts provided by the AFP. “ Thank you for having  special time to visit us here in Munai, it is very important for  us to have an access to health, especially for the dental outreach, since dental is  number one problem in this municipality, because we only have one municipal doctor”, Maquiling said.

Maquiling thanked the OPPAP ,DepEd, AFP, DOH, and other stakeholders and the counterpart for organizing Munai Brigada Eskwela and dental outreach.

In an interview with reporters, Maquiling disclosed  it is a great honor and a privilege that chairperson Ferrer visited Munai and that the AFP and the MILF worked together for Brigada Eskwela.  When asked about the Bangsamoro Basic Law?  “We are pro BBL and we are on the path for normalization, we don’t believe in war anymore”   Maquiling said. Once the BBL is approved, Munai might be included in the expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao together with five towns that include Nunungan, Tangcal, Tagoloan, Baloi, and Pantar .  Maquiling believes that with the approval of BBL, developments will and investments come and pour to Munai.

In her speech, Ferrer told the school children and the parents that since 2010 with the signing of the peace process between the GRP and the MILF ceasefire continued in Munai. “There are only minimal problem like of the incident occurred in Mamasapano”,  She said.  She added that the goal of the ceasefire agreement is to keep the peace and make the ceasefire a permanent in Munai and elsewhere in Mindanao. She said that if the ceasefire, continues, school children will enjoy their studies. She also said that schools will be used as evacuation centers if there are wars.  “Kung tuloy tuloy ang kapayapaan ay susunod din ang kaunlaran at maibibigay na ang inyong pangangailangan tulad ng health, education and livelihood”, Ferrer said.  She stressed that children has the right to live a peaceful life. One of the program, she said is the normalization.