OPAPRU

OPAPRU FY2027 request and NEP recommendation: For fiscal year 2027, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) originally proposed PHP 13.443 billion; the National Expenditure Program (NEP) recommends PHP 9.305 billion for the agency.

Proposed program components and reported utilization: The proposed FY2027 allocation was described as supporting normalization and transformation programs, Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) infrastructure in geographically isolated and conflict-affected communities, other peacebuilding initiatives, and agency operations and mandatory costs. OPAPRU sought favorable consideration of the proposed budget.

Within the proposed FY2027 program, PAMANA had a PHP 4.9 billion allocation for infrastructure across Bangsamoro and adjacent areas and Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), and Cordillera communities. The stated distribution was PHP 1.6 billion for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process, PHP 624 million for the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), PHP 1.5 billion for local conflict transformation, and PHP 1.1 billion combined for RPMP-RPA-ABB and the Cordillera-Bodong Administration-Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA). These were allocations at that stage, subject to further validation of project implementation, readiness and program compliance; PAMANA would also prioritize completing projects funded in FY2024–2026.

For comparison, OPAPRU reported that it obligated 97% (PHP 6.9 billion) of its PHP 7.1 billion FY2025 appropriations as of December 31, 2025. As of September 30, 2026, it had utilized 73% (PHP 6.1 billion) of its PHP 8.3 billion FY2026 agency appropriation, including PHP 4.6 billion obligated for PAMANA infrastructure; the balance supported regular operations and ongoing normalization and transformation programs.

Reported reintegration assistance and community costs: For the RPMP-RPA-ABB peace track, the presentation reported PHP 50.4 million in socioeconomic assistance, 105 housing units and site projects costing PHP 371 million, and grants to 100 barangays totaling PHP 110 million. For CBA-CPLA communities, it reported PHP 482 million in social protection, education and livelihood assistance. These were reported program accomplishments, separate from the FY2027 NEP proposal.

Decommissioning numbers, normalization benefits and implementation delays: Senator Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian asked how many Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants remained to be decommissioned, how many still needed educational assistance and what challenges were delaying normalization. OPAPRU Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor said 26,145 had been decommissioned and about 14,000 remained, but the government and MILF panels were still awaiting the list for that group. OPAPRU Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento put the original MILF figure at 40,000 and said 26,145 had completed phases 1–3, leaving 13,855 for phase 4. Sarmiento said PHP 100,000 had been given in cash, with the rest of the socioeconomic package supplied through regular government services. He explained that decommissioning proceeds in parallel with government delivery of agreed commitments, with weapons released commensurately.

Sarmiento said the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and Bangsamoro Organic Law did not state a monetary amount for the socioeconomic package, but a later commitment set it at PHP 1 million per decommissioned combatant. OPAPRU mainly monitors delivery by other agencies; data privacy and the absence of data-sharing agreements made beneficiary validation difficult and slowed implementation. The existing package also fit the needs of older combatants poorly. He said a government–MILF Peace Implementing Panel meeting in Kuala Lumpur approved five of seven items, including an adjustment to make the package more responsive, at the September 25 meeting; Sarmiento said further work and an additional proposal were still needed, with phase-four weapons decommissioning hoped for by 2027. He traced the delay in bilateral normalization work to the vacancy after the government panel chair resigned in February; activities stopped at the MILF’s request until Sarmiento was appointed chair on July 15.

Gatchalian calculated that applying the PHP 1 million package to the roughly 14,000 remaining combatants would imply PHP 14 billion, assuming all received it. This was his estimate of the normalization commitment, not an approved appropriation. When he asked what OPAPRU had allocated for decommissioning, Sarmiento declined to disclose the working proposal while it remained under development following MILF concurrence on September 25; he offered a later briefing during a recess. The public exchange did not establish an approved decommissioning allocation.

FY2027 program allocations and confidential normalization proposal: Gatchalian observed that OPAPRU’s FY2027 proposed budget had grown by about PHP 1.1 billion, with about PHP 6 billion for the PAMANA program, including about PHP 3.7 billion for roads as well as education and housing. He understood PAMANA to support peace and development on the ground, while identifying decommissioning as the apparent funding gap. Sarmiento said he could not publicly disclose the normalization proposal while it remained a working process following MILF concurrence on September 25. He offered to brief the senators during a recess; Gatchalian accepted a later break. The exchange did not identify an approved appropriation for decommissioning.

Educational assistance: allotment, beneficiaries and cash release: Gatchalian asked for the status of the additional PHP 850 million he recalled including in the FY2026 budget. Mayor said OPAPRU had secured an allotment of PHP 807.5 million for the program, divided between 12,100 MILF members (PHP 605 million) and 4,050 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members (PHP 202.5 million). The two stated component counts total 16,150; Mayor later referred to a 16,500-name list, leaving that difference unresolved. He confirmed that OPAPRU had a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO), had identified the beneficiaries and had executed memoranda of agreement with participating state universities and colleges, but was still waiting for the notice of cash allotment; the cash had not yet arrived.

Gatchalian then asked whether PHP 800 million had been retained for FY2027. Mayor confirmed it was retained because the four-year program would continue serving beneficiaries the following year. Sarmiento thanked the Senate for the allocation and said 31 state universities and colleges nationwide were partners. He described the scholarship as support for former combatants’ families and said OPAPRU was exploring a partnership with the semiconductor industry to connect beneficiaries with production work. Gatchalian agreed that education and livelihoods help sustain peace; Sarmiento concurred that family livelihoods can reduce the appeal of illegal activity.

FY2027 allocation and FY2026 utilization: Committee on Finance Chair Senator Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) would receive a 14.4% increase under the FY2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) proposal. He questioned an increase while citing mid-2026 disbursement of 21.7% and obligations of 39.1%, with PHP 3.35 billion in unobligated allotments and more than PHP 2.53 billion in unpaid obligations.

OPAPRU Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor reported that FY2026 regular funds had PHP 8.1 billion allotted and PHP 6.4 billion obligated, a stated 73.56% obligation rate. He separately cited PHP 208 million in continuing funds and PHP 126 million obligated, or 60.82%, then gave an overall balance of PHP 2.2 billion and a 73.24% obligation rate. These are the figures and rates Mayor stated; they do not fully reconcile arithmetically. Mayor said most of the remaining balance was for ongoing PAMANA projects. Asked about the year-end disbursement outlook, he said the third-quarter rating was "very satisfactory" and spending had accelerated.

Ejercito asked which priority programs would be affected and whether the NEP amount was enough, noting PAMANA's stated increase from PHP 5 billion in FY2026 to PHP 6 billion in FY2027. Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento said he would brief Ejercito after the meeting. The exchange records a promised follow-up, with no appropriation increase decided here.

Tourism, mosque rehabilitation and livelihood infrastructure: Ejercito said tourism could complement peace and livelihoods, citing his visit to the Pink Mosque and other sites. He said local officials were seeking rehabilitation, suggested OPAPRU could include the work in community infrastructure, and floated sponsorship for repainting the Pink Mosque. In the same discussion he referred to "9.2" and then PHP 5 million; later he described PHP 5 million and PHP 10 million in discussing possible community-infrastructure support. The transcript does not make the scope of those figures consistent, so they are not treated here as a settled project estimate or approved allocation.

Ejercito urged support for infrastructure that could connect communities, create jobs and build lasting livelihoods after the Bangsamoro Organic Law, including the railway and farm-area infrastructure. He said aid should be temporary while employment and economic opportunity become sustainable. Sarmiento pointed to improved peace and order after governors in Caraga and the Davao Region coordinated through their peace and order councils.

Normalization funding and sustaining the peace: Senator Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian highlighted the normalization program, saying it was part of the peace agreement and necessary to sustain peace. He referred to PHP 918 million for FY2026 and contrasted it with the normalization requirement discussed earlier, warning against returning to conflict after signing and implementing agreements. He initially asked whether OPAPRU had no normalization amount for FY2027. Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor corrected him: the FY2027 normalization allocation was PHP 1.3 billion. Gatchalian acknowledged the figure, called it an increase, but said it remained far below that requirement.

Educational assistance: year-end obligation and disbursement: Senator Joseph Victor (JV) G. Ejercito asked what had delayed release of the PHP 850 million educational assistance amount and whether OPAPRU could realistically obligate and disburse the remaining 45% of its 2026 program before year-end. Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento said OPAPRU could do so. He cited good relations with the partner universities; one had recently installed a new president, but had submitted its liquidation. He said OPAPRU was confident it could meet the year-end target.

Unliquidated fund transfers: recovery and management action: Ejercito raised Commission on Audit (COA) findings that OPAPRU had PHP 9.936 billion in unliquidated transfers to implementing agencies, some outstanding for as long as 21 years, and had issued 43 new checks totaling PHP 1.45 billion to agencies that had not liquidated earlier transfers. He asked what action OPAPRU had taken and how much had been recovered or liquidated during the year.

Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor said PHP 2.6 billion had been liquidated as of September 30, 2026, leaving a PHP 7.3 billion balance being addressed. He said many accounts involved ongoing PAMANA projects, which remained recorded as unliquidated while work continued; OPAPRU was reconciling those records as projects were completed. Mayor also described demand letters issued to local government units and national government agencies that had received transfers. In explaining the reconciliation, he referred to a reported PHP 9.3 billion figure, after Ejercito cited PHP 9.936 billion and Mayor initially referred to PHP 9.9 billion; the hearing did not reconcile that difference.

Unliquidated fund transfers and project monitoring: Senator Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian flagged fund transfers that he said had remained unliquidated for 21 years. He cited PHP 9.94 billion in unliquidated funds, including PHP 8.57 billion for PAMANA, and urged OPAPRU to follow up on liquidation before making further transfers.

OPAPRU Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento replied that the balance was lower now and that many items related to ongoing projects. He described a Peace Room digital system that lets OPAPRU monitor infrastructure-project schedules, flag delays and follow up on catch-up plans. Gatchalian emphasized that delayed liquidation can accumulate across agencies and said OPAPRU should be mindful of timely follow-up.

Decommissioning and normalization commitment: Gatchalian put on the record that Secretary Sarmiento would provide following the hearing suspension a confidential proposal through the committee on fulfilling commitments related to decommissioning and normalization. Gatchalian reiterated the estimated normalization need, said the government could not renege on its agreement with the groups, and noted that the amount was contributing to delays. He said OPAPRU had a proposal to submit to the committee and that it would await the position paper. The committee awaited the position paper; no increase was adopted.

PAMANA infrastructure allocation and project safeguards: Senator Joseph Victor (JV) G. Ejercito asked how OPAPRU would ensure timely, verifiable delivery of its PAMANA infrastructure program. He cited nearly PHP 5 billion across 176 civil works projects and COA’s finding that OPAPRU had consistently failed to validate quarterly progress reports within the mandated 10 calendar days because of weak monitoring and follow-up. He then asked how OPAPRU would prevent delays or ghost projects among the more than PHP 3.76 billion allocated for roads and bridges in FY2027.

Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento said OPAPRU had people in the field and a “peace room” where members of Congress could check active projects. He said project records include geotagged progress charts to confirm existence and provide real-time status, and that he visited sites to check administration. OPAPRU also works with local governments, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to monitor projects. He said the President had directed the agency to strengthen reconciliation and improve socioeconomic conditions, and that OPAPRU was using technology to strengthen monitoring, evaluation and project validation.

Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor added that PAMANA monitoring included local government focal persons reporting to partner agencies; partner agencies’ own monitoring and evaluation systems; civil-society spot checks; regional and provincial working-group meetings; periodic assessments; interagency meetings and site visits. He listed transparency and accountability measures including feedback mechanisms, community monitoring, project billboards, online status reports and performance-based fund releases.

Peace agreement progress and 2027 priorities: OPAPRU Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento connected peace with the country's economic and development goals, then yielded the budget presentation to Presidential Assistant Wilben M. Mayor. Mayor said the agency was pursuing substantial completion of peace agreements by 2028; as of September 30, 2026, overall implementation stood at 71%. He reported progress across the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Cordillera-Bodong Administration-Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA) and Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) agreements and the local peace engagement program, while describing remaining normalization, transformation, healing and community-development work. He said FY2027 funding would accelerate delayed post-conflict rehabilitation, normalization and transformation, expand socioeconomic support for former combatants, families and communities, and localize interventions. The agency also planned to mobilize support from other government bodies and development partners, while describing national baseline funding as critical.

Reported agreement implementation stood at 67% for MILF (100% political and 49% normalization), 43% for MNLF (70% political and 16% transformation), 91% for CBA-CPLA and 85% for RPMP-RPA-ABB. Remaining work included normalization, the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund and monitoring mechanism, settlement sites, livelihoods, healing and reconciliation.

Program milestones and reintegration plans: Mayor described the Bangsamoro political track as complete and said 2027 work would continue normalization support, livelihood and employment initiatives, land-governance projects in six MILF camps, and implementation of the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund and Tripartite Implementation Monitoring Committee roadmap. The MNLF Transformation Program addressed combatants not integrated into the armed forces or police, with verified participants receiving socioeconomic support and firearms documented for turn-in. For CPP-NPA-NDF areas, OPAPRU reported provincial transformation plans, peace and development centers, and former-rebel participation in local bodies, with further provincial plans and community capacity-building ahead. The RPMP-RPA-ABB program's remaining work included settlement sites, housing, civilian transformation and partnerships; CBA-CPLA work included livelihood projects and an interagency coordination mechanism.

For RPMP-RPA-ABB, OPAPRU reported 727 decommissioned members, 105 housing units and remaining work on 15 settlement sites and 531 housing units. CBA-CPLA work included 550 forest guards, integration of 481 members and next of kin into the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 23 community livelihood projects planned for 2027.

Peace, elections and development across Mindanao: Ejercito welcomed the generally peaceful conclusion of the Bangsamoro regional election, while noting isolated incidents. He said the Bangsamoro Organic Law had bought time for peace, but argued that peace needed to be followed by jobs and economic development. He pointed to improved roads and other infrastructure, while asking whether the Mindanao railway should be revived to connect isolated areas, spread development and reduce the recruitment appeal of armed movements.

Sarmiento agreed that infrastructure and peace were linked: he said conflict harms Mindanao's image and makes railway investment risky if tracks could be attacked. He cited the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's (BARMM) 5% growth in 2025 and its poverty-rate decline from 54% in 2018 to 12.8% in 2025, and said he hoped Mindanao could contribute at least 30% of national GDP. He described election preparations with the Commission on Elections, security agencies, the Armed Forces and the MILF, and reported 84.35% turnout, compared with 82.41% in 2026, and a peaceful vote. He said the national government respected the Bangsamoro's right to select its leaders under the law's self-determination principle.

Normalization, camp transformation and local governance: Sarmiento described the next phase of normalization as socioeconomic development after the selection of Bangsamoro leaders. For camp transformation, he identified infrastructure, social development and housing support, with coordination among development partners to avoid duplicating work. He said OPAPRU geotagged PAMANA projects and tracked their status, and invited senators to review the work at the agency. He also described a planned Moro Global Metropolis, inspired by Putrajaya, on a 205-hectare site with Malaysian investors, alongside the planned transfer of a government center. He cited cooperation with the Mindanao Development Authority, a completed parcelary inventory project and work on transitional justice and reconciliation.

On rido and tribal conflict, Sarmiento said OPAPRU had raised local problems with the Supreme Court and Department of Justice, and that guidelines had been launched; the next step was integration with the judicial system. He also referred to a proposed truth and justice commission bill and a possible coordinated drafting process. His account connected customary-law dispute resolution with the constitutional framework.

Plantation jobs and a proposed Maguindanao–Sultan Kudarat link: Ejercito asked about a plantation in Camp Bader, Maguindanao del Sur, which he understood had employed about 5,000 workers before closing, and asked whether it could be revived. Sarmiento confirmed that a partner dispute had halted operations and said OPAPRU was seeking a possible new operator; he was not privy to the reason for the dispute. He said prospective investors were being approached and had waited for the election outcome.

Ejercito also raised a proposed bypass road linking Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, saying it could shorten the route and open economic opportunities. Sarmiento said OPAPRU was arranging a meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways planning office and described local coordination through the Iranun Development Council and related inter-local development groupings. No final road alignment or construction decision was reported in this exchange.

Local participation, former-rebel representation and plenary submission: Sarmiento said local governments were being reminded to meet Local Government Code requirements for public participation. He cited the rule that at least 25% of Local Development Council membership should come from civil society, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations, and said OPAPRU encouraged former rebels to join councils and help shape annual investment plans. He said former rebels were participating in councils in Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija and Aurora and helping monitor projects. He reported two regional, 14 provincial and 13 municipal council representatives and 29 people’s organizations, and encouraged more local governments to include former rebels in governance.

Ejercito said he would submit remaining questions to help OPAPRU prepare for plenary debate and asked its officials to prepare briefing cards. He then deemed the OPAPRU budget submitted for plenary consideration, subject to debate and the requested documents. This was a procedural submission, not final approval of the budget.