They were former MNLF soldiers and families, widows who had difficulty looking for jobs and livelihood after a life of war. Soon after the peace accord was signed, it was clear that not all ex-fighters could be absorbed into the regular armed forces and that development plans for Muslim Mindanao would take time. Meantime, some former MNLF members were getting restless. The proposal fit the European Union's desire to support the Muslim peace agreement. Today, Basilan's Muslims have gotten used to the regular visits of doctors and health workers.
Long queues form when the teams come and hundreds consult doctors in one day.
A November status report said the rehabilitation of the health centre in Tuburan was finished by September. Rehabilitation of health centres in two other municipalities, Lantawan and Tipo-Tipo, is also underway. We focused on water because most of their diseases are water- borne,'' said Magturo, ICU representative for the Philippines. Many areas had water sources but no infrastructure to pipe water to communities. As for livelihood, helping war-weary communities become economically productive is an investment in the prevention of conflict and the success of the peace agreement on the ground.