COTABATO PROVINCE — Nearly three decades since the signing of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Mindanao continues to reap the dividends of peace in the form of economic growth, improved infrastructure, better education, and stronger social cohesion.
During the commemoration of the agreement’s 29th anniversary on Tuesday at the University of Southern Mindanao gymnasium, stakeholders and government officials underscored the transformation of conflict-affected areas into hubs of opportunity and progress.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno said the region’s progress is proof that inclusive peace efforts deliver results.
“The gains we are reaping today in education, infrastructure, economic growth, and social cohesion are the fruits of that collective courage,” Magno said, pointing to stronger investor confidence and sustained economic expansion across Mindanao. He stressed that peace is a continuing responsibility, with inclusive development as its backbone.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. affirmed the government’s commitment to fully implement the 1996 peace pact. He emphasized programs designed to help MNLF combatants and their families rebuild their lives and become productive citizens.
“Isa po sa ating mga katuwang sa paghahatid ng mga serbisyo ng pamahalaan dito sa inyong lugar ay ang Mindanao Development Authority… Sa tulong ng MinDA, ay marami na po tayong mga naipatupad na programang pang-agrikultura at pangkabuhayan mula dito sa Central Mindanao hanggang sa probinsya ng Tawi-Tawi,” Galvez said.
Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza welcomed the continued support from government agencies and the MNLF, noting that the province—once scarred by armed conflict—has become a model of resilience and transformation.
“With the intervention of MinDA, the people of the province are excited to see more intervention in the community,” she said, citing improved peace and order as a foundation for sustained growth.
MNLF Acting Chairman Abdulkarim Misuari, through a message delivered by Member of Parliament Romeo Sema, called for unity and perseverance in building on the gains of peace. “The challenge before us remains great, but so too is our resolve. For peace is not given, it is built day by day,” he said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his 2024 State of the Nation Address, noted that peace agreements are now in their concluding phase, with many former combatants successfully integrated into civilian life, some even joining the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the Bangsamoro region. He assured that the government will honor all commitments, stressing that lasting peace is central to national progress.
As part of the anniversary celebration, OPAPRU and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) mounted a service caravan that brought frontline government services to Cotabato residents, including free medical consultations, business registration assistance, and police clearances.
Organizers said the event demonstrated how peace and development programs make government more accessible, especially in communities once affected by conflict.
Today, Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao stand as symbols of resilience, reconciliation, and hope—living proof that the dividends of peace are both real and lasting.