BARIRA, Maguindanao del Norte (November 17) — A new chapter is unfolding in the Bangsamoro peace process as the regional government breaks ground on 600 housing units for former MILF combatants across six historic camps—an effort meant to turn once-conflict areas into thriving, peaceful communities.
The Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) started the rollout on Nov. 10, with the first 100 homes rising in Camp Abubakar As-Siddique in Barangay Togaig, Barira—once the biggest stronghold of the MILF and a symbol of decades-long struggle in Mindanao.
Funded through the Bangsamoro Government’s Special Development Fund (SDF), each unit will feature a 48-square-meter space with three bedrooms, a living and dining area, kitchen, toilet and bath, and a small porch—marking a concrete step toward helping former fighters transition into civilian life.
MHSD Director General Esmael Ebrahim described the milestone as long-awaited. “In a few months, we will see the 100-unit housing for our Mujahideen brothers,” he said.
The project goes beyond shelter. Each camp will also receive community support facilities including a covered court, access roads with drainage, solar-powered streetlights, a Level II water system, a health station, a multipurpose building, and perimeter structures—amenities meant to help build a functioning, sustainable community.
Acting Senior Minister Abdullah Cusain, who delivered the message of Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, said every house built is “a promise that the Bangsamoro government is steadfast in its commitment to the welfare of its people.”
Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority Director General Mohajirin Ali called the project a key part of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). “We will definitely build an MILF community here in Barangay Togaig and gradually transform Camp Abubakar,” he said.
Camp Abubakar’s 100-unit housing site also serves as BARMM’s counterpart to the national government’s Camp Transformation Master Development Plan, launched through OPAPRU in January 2024 under Executive Order No. 79.
Similar housing sites are set to rise in Camp Bad’r and Camp Omar in Maguindanao del Sur, Camp Rajamuda in the Special Geographic Area, Camp Bushra in Lanao del Sur, and Camp Bilal in Lanao del Norte—bringing development closer to communities that once lived amid conflict.
The groundbreaking ceremony gathered local officials, the Philippine Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, OPAPRU representatives, and community leaders—signaling broad support for what many hope will be a lasting peace on the ground.
