The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MILG-BARMM) underscored Thursday the importance of beefing up the capacity of local government units (LGUs) to sustain peace.

In an interview on Thursday, BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said that aside from boosting the infrastructure and governance capacities of LGUs, viable livelihood opportunities should also be provided to former rebels to integrate them easily into the community.

Beneficiaries of livelihood opportunities, he said, include members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) that once operated in parts of western Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

“Ex-ASG members who decided to abandon a lost cause and rejoin the mainstream will soon become productive citizens once they complete skills training provided by the BARMM government,” he added.

Sustaining peace

Sinarimbo, who is also the concurrent BARMM spokesperson, also bared that a PHP25 million worth of reformation center for former ASG members in Patikul, Sulu, is nearing completion.

He said the center aims to meet the diverse skills training needs of ex-ASG members, and is part of the Bangsamoro government’s commitment to maintaining and sustaining peace in Mindanao.

“We believe that the long-term solution is to provide them with a new perspective on how to interpret their religious beliefs,” Sinarimbo said.

Until recently, Barangay Langhub was a well-known ASG stronghold. It was hardly reached by the people of Sulu, including the military because of the heavy ASG presence.

Economic development

“Our major objectives include supporting local moral governance, local economic development, local law enforcement, and strengthening quick response during disasters in the region,” Sinarimbo said.

This month, several infrastructures that will facilitate and enhance the delivery of government services in the municipalities have been completed and are ready for turnover in the succeeding weeks.

Sinarimbo said the recently finished public markets in Indanan, Sulu, and the Pikit cluster of the BARMM Special Geographic Area in North Cotabato province are projected to drive more economic activities and generate job opportunities for residents.

Three other municipal halls in Tawi-Tawi have just been completed and are set for turnover, he added. (PNA)