MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Despite all the hurdles it needed to go through in the past, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao continues to prosper as it welcomes new comrades who share the same goal of pushing for the well-being of all Bangsamoro people.
The European Union (EU) has recently said that it will back the Bangsamoro government as it moves forward and tries to make progress.
Luc Véron, EU Ambassador to the Philippines, stated that his organization has already implemented several humanitarian projects in the region, including schools for displaced communities.
He stressed that since the time they began the programs, they have been one of the biggest international partners that have provided support to Mindanao in the peace process involving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front, and the Philippine government.
Véron was a good example of what the EU used to be: a trusted, reliable, neutral contact who worked for peace and government in Mindanao.
"We do so through a comprehensive approach, supporting directly the settlement of the conflict and long-term development through the socio-economic recovery of conflict-affected areas," he said.
Véron said they have given funds totaling €130 million to directly help with the implementation of the peace agreement in BARMM.
Additionally, the EU has also been a major humanitarian donor of relief assistance to civilians affected by armed conflict, including those in Marawi City, and even the victims of natural disasters such as flooding.
Pursuing more initiatives for the welfare of the Bangsamoro citizens, Véron further mentioned the launch of another project called "Building Community Resilience and Delivery of Essential Services for Post-conflict Recovery in Lanao del Sur/Marawi" which is built on a rights-based approach in support of the BARMM regional and local authorities’ efforts to amplify their capacities to plan and provide services from health to sanitation, nutrition, and social protection.
"This is part of our long-standing commitment to the welfare of children and, ultimately, to peace and development in BARMM… The European Union will continue to support the Bangsamoro as you create conditions conducive to reform and development," he said.
With a budget of €4 million, or P245 million, the project will run for three years to cover 40 municipalities in Lanao del Sur province, including Marawi City, and two towns each in Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon provinces.
Now, the EU is optimistic that, together with its partner, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, and the government, it can continuously bring about positive change in BARMM. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
