COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament approved on Monday, Feb. 26, the bill that establishes an office responsible for providing financial assistance to members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who are senior citizens or persons with permanent disabilities.

 

The bill, known as the "Bangsamoro Mujahideen Under Special Circumstance Act of 2024," received 41 affirmative votes and no negative votes or abstentions.

 

According to the newly approved law, the Office of the Bangsamoro Mujahideen Under Special Circumstance (OBMUSC) will be responsible for implementing the program.

 

Under the program, qualified recipients, including senior citizens and those with permanent, partial, or total disabilities within the MILF and MNLF ranks, will be entitled to a minimum monthly aid of P7,000. In the first year, recipients will receive a lump sum of P84,000, followed by quarterly allowances in the subsequent years.

 

To finance this initiative, an initial amount of P500 million will be allocated and integrated into the annual budget of the Office of the Chief Minister.

 

The law outlines the eligibility criteria, which include mujahideen who participated in the struggle for the self-determination of the Bangsamoro people between 1969 and 2014 for a minimum of 20 years and who belong to the underprivileged sector. Underprivileged refers to Bangsamoro Mujahideen with an annual income of not more than P250,000.

 

Permanent partial disabilities, as defined by the law, include the complete and permanent loss of any finger, one arm, one foot, any toe, one hand, one leg, one or both ears, hearing of one or both ears, sight of one eye, and other cases approved by the OBMUSC.

 

Permanent total disabilities result from injuries or diseases that cause complete, irreversible, and permanent incapacity, rendering a person unable to work or engage in any gainful occupation, leading to a loss of income. Qualifying disabilities include complete loss of sight for both eyes, loss of two limbs at or above the ankle or wrists, permanent complete paralysis of two limbs, brain injury resulting in incurable imbecility or insanity, and other cases approved by OBMUSC.

 

Member of Parliament Aida Silongan, Chair of the Committee on Social Services and Development (CSSD), emphasized the importance of acknowledging and supporting the sacrifices made by the mujahideen through this program. 

Silongan stressed the Bangsamoro Parliament's commitment to providing tangible assistance to the mujahideen and their families, ensuring their well-being and preserving their dignity.

 

The OBMUSC is also mandated to maintain an updated list or register of qualified beneficiaries and conduct a mandatory review of the current cost of living every three years to determine the sufficiency of the allowance.

 

The measure aligns with the priority agenda of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, and the benefits granted are lifetime and non-transferable, Silongan said.

 

The BTA will create a technical working group from the Office of the Chief Minister and the Parliament's Committee on Social Services and Development to collaborate with the Central Committees of the MILF and MNLF in validating the list of qualified recipients.