NORTH COTABATO (July 6, 2022)—The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) shed light on the Youth Reintegration Program (YRP) during a courtesy visit to Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) Camp Rajamuda on Wednesday, July 6, in Pikit, North Cotabato.
Rodolfo Matucan, Jr., BYC’s development management officer, discussed the overview and salient points of YRP with Chief Akmad Abas of MILF’s Eastern Mindanao Front and its other officials.
BYC Commissioner for Maguindanao, Cotabato City, and Special Geographic Areas Nasserudin D. Dunding, in his message, emphasized the commission’s commitment in youth development through offering various services for the Bangsamoro youth.
“The Bangsamoro struggle is not concluded merely by the establishment of the BARMM government, rather this is just one of the results of a wide-range component of the peace process. Thus, we should not stop there. We have a lot of efforts to work on especially our struggle towards self-identity,” he said.
“We in the commission is doing our best to take part in the BARMM government towards empowering our youth, and inculcate them the spirit of the Bangsamoro struggle in order to sustain the peace process in the future,” he emphasized.
Commander Abas, who is also a Member of the Bangsamoro Parliament, affirmed his support on the said initiative that “the YRP is among the great opportunities for youth development in the preparation for the sustainability of the Bangsamoro struggle”
The visit served as the primary stage in implementing the initiative which is a long-term mechanism that aims to promote a holistic reintegration process of youth combatants from six major camps and island-based camps of the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) through peacebuilding, civic engagement, and provisions of viable socioeconomic opportunities such as socio-political immersion, livelihood, and tech-vocational training.
YRP will be the flagship program of the BYC in empowering the ex-rebels ensuring the mitigation of issues that impede their meaningful reintegration, lessening tendencies of re-/recruitment to extremist groups, and relapse of violent behaviors.
The program will help the commission in crafting policies that seek to protect their rights and welfare, and ensure their functionality in the society. (BYC PR UNIT/AAA)
