The future seems brighter for 381 students who are children or immediate next-of-kin of decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants as they received educational assistance totalling P17.4 million from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) in partnership with the Mindanao State University (MSU) System.

In a statement Wednesday, Feb. 12, the OPAPRU said that the disbursement of the educational support covered two academic years, 2024-2025 and 2022-2023.

"For the 2024-2025 school year, 256 students each received P25,000 while 78 each got P50,000 for the two semesters. For 2022-2023, a total of 142 students each received P50,000. Of these, 95 are also beneficiaries of the current school year, while 47 are not. Thus, in terms of actual number of students, 381 students were served," the statement read.

"Interestingly, of the 381 students, 31 are grantees of both school years, but since they have not yet received their assistance for last semester, each got their educational assistance for two school years amounting to P100,000," it added.

The initiative was part of the OPAPRU’s Educational Assistance Program for decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their next-of-kin, a key component of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB), the landmark peace deal signed between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF in 2014.

The program seeks to help former combatants transition to peaceful civilian life, including through the provision of educational opportunities for their children and members of their families.

Under the program, qualified students receive P25,000 every semester they are enrolled, with a maximum support of P200,000 over four years, to cover their tuition, school fees, and other educational expenses.

"Since its inception in 2022, the program has been instrumental in supporting the higher education of decommissioned combatants and their families, helping them gain access to quality education by addressing their limited financial capacity," the OPAPRU noted.

The 381 student-recipients are part of the 2,500 beneficiaries for the three school years from 2023-2025. The MSU System will continue disbursements in Davao (Region XI) next week, followed by Soccsksargen (Region XII) later this month.

The OPAPRU said that the selection process for beneficiaries involves a multi-step process that is being handled by the Task Force on Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities (TFDCC), a peace mechanism under the oversight of the peace agency.

The steps include an initial call for applications, a preliminary review of applications to verify eligibility, the vetting by the TFDCC-MILF, and the final validation by the MSU. The selection is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The OPAPRU said that the Educational Assistance Program is not limited to dependents who were declared during the decommissioning process. Those who were not declared can still apply, provided they can furnish documents proving their relationship with the decommissioned combatant, it noted.

While the Educational Assistance Program does not require the beneficiaries to maintain high academic standing, the OPAPRU said they are strongly encouraged to pass their subjects to ensure timely completion of their degrees.

Since the program was launched, the MSU has already distributed financial aid to student beneficiaries in Central, Southern, and Western Mindanao, according to OPAPRU. It seeks to help students across BARMM, as well as those from Regions 9, 10, 11, and 12.