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Site Sitio Oco Pagangan Aleosan, Cotabato where rebels used to stay Amid the intermittent armed conflict between the government and Muslim-led groups fighting for self-determination, Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Mindanao have sought to contribute to the cause of peace by building houses for both Muslim and Christian victims of the armed conflict, including ex-MNLF fighters. These projects have been dubbed "Peace Builds," and they help contribute to the improvement of Christian-Muslim relations, with Filipinos of both faiths, including government soldiers and ex-combatants, rebuilding houses and communities together.
Aleosan, Cotabato
The first Peace Build was at Barangay Pagangan in the town of Aleosan, Cotabato; it was implemented by the Midsayap affiliate. Land for the site was donated by an ex-MNLF commander, who envisioned a community for both Muslim and Christians.
Various government and non-government organizations partnered with Habitat in developing the community, including the Cotabato Rural Uplift Movement (CORUM), Integral Development Services Philippines (IDS), and the local government of Aleosan.
At the end of 2001, fifty-eight houses had been constructed. Further construction could not continue because of the deterioration of the peace and order situation in the areas surrounding the community.
Tupi, South Cotabato
A more recent Peace Build project has been started in Barangay Bunao, Tupi, South Cotabato. Ex-MNLF combatants had formed a cooperative named the Bunao Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BUFAMCO), which mobilized their savings to purchase a three-fourth hectare of land for housing. The General Santos City Habitat affiliate helped BUFAMCO build the houses. Using the Save and Build approach, eighteen houses were constructed beginning in July 2004. The other two-thirds of the funds for house construction came from the Presidential Social Fund, two petroleum companies, and from the repayments of the affiliate's other homepartners.
The affiliate also mobilized volunteers from the greater community, including Philippine army soldiers, municipal and village officials, peace and development advocates from nearby provinces, churches and other faith-based organizations, civic groups, students, other organizations and even the other homepartners of the affiliate.
Volunteers also came from a formerly antagonistic community made up of a largely Christian indigenous people/cultural community known as the B'laan. Today, the two communities are at peace with one another.
Furthermore, with the construction skills learned by the BUFAMCO homepartners, they have now found work in other construction projects in the municipality.
Future Peace Builds: The Proposed Habitat Build for Peace in Mindanao
Habitat for Humanity is now preparing a project that will cover fifty-seven peace and development communities (PDCs), which are communities of ex-MNLF combatants as well as Christian sympathizers, in eighteen local government units in the provinces of Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City.
Its components will consist of the following:
- Using the save and build and building-in-stages approaches, build decent, durable, and affordable shelter for 1,010 ex-combatants and internally displaced peoples.
- Design, implement and develop livelihood projects in each PDC, including the establishment of savings-mobilization mechanisms.
- Improve access to water, environmental sanitation facilities and such services as health and electricity.
- Strengthen existing structures for peace and development, and institutionalize partnerships from the community up to the provincial levels, including the mainstreaming of PDC plans in the municipal and provincial development plans.
The housing component is expected to be implemented by the Habitat affiliates of General Santos, Midsayap, Tacurong, and Kidapawan through a regional Habitat Building and Resource Center (HBRC). Other non-government organizations, such as IDS, will handle the project's other components.
It is hoped that this project will result not just in decent, durable and affordable houses and in decent communities where the former victims of the armed conflict can share in the fruits of development but also in helping build a just and lasting peace in Mindanao.
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