IPs Engage in Dialogue for Camps Transformation Efforts
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (June 27, 2025) — Indigenous Peoples (IPs) took part in a multi-stakeholder consultation and dialogue on their role in camps transformation, an event recently featured on the official Facebook page of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA). The consultation was held from June 18 to 20, 2025, in Davao City through the Bangsamoro Camps Transformation Project (BCTP), implemented by BDA in partnership with Community and Family Services International (CFSI).
The activity served as a platform for IP organizations and government offices to discuss how indigenous communities can actively contribute to peacebuilding and development in former conflict-affected areas. Participants shared insights on the challenges they face and explored opportunities for collaboration and greater inclusion in ongoing transformation efforts.
Under the BCTP, four IP groups based in Camps Badre and Omar — two of the six acknowledged camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) — have already received support. Assistance includes livelihood tools, planting materials, training programs, and infrastructure projects to boost their economic resilience and participation in normalization.
Officials from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MIPA) and the office of Bangsamoro Parliament Member Froilyn T. Mendoza also joined the discussions, underscoring the government’s commitment to inclusive development in post-conflict zones.
The BCTP is funded by the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF), managed by the World Bank with support from Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. It is carried out in coordination with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT). (Gandhi C. Kinjiyo, BMN/BangsamoroToday)
