COTABATO CITY (November 6) — Five hundred former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants are set to perform the Hajj in Saudi Arabia next year through a free pilgrimage program of the Bangsamoro government.
The initiative, implemented by the Bangsamoro Pilgrimage Authority (BPA), forms part of the region’s peace and reintegration efforts and comes with a proposed increase in the agency’s 2026 budget from ₱100 million to ₱200 million.
“This is not just a pilgrimage—it’s a symbol of transformation,” said Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who submitted the ₱114-billion regional expenditure program to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament.
About 150 ex-fighters joined the free Hajj this year. One of them, a former commander from Maguindanao del Norte, said the experience gave him “a new kind of peace” and strengthened his resolve to rebuild his community.
With more slots next year, the Bangsamoro government hopes to give hundreds of former combatants a spiritual journey that mirrors their path toward lasting peace.
