MANILA – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Tuesday warned of funding challenges in accelerating the implementation of peace agreements, as its proposed 2027 budget fell PHP4.14 billion short of the amount needed to meet the government’s commitments by 2028.
During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing, OPAPRU Undersecretary Wilben Mayor said the agency requested PHP13.44 billion for next year but received only PHP9.30 billion under the proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“Additional funding is critical not only to sustain ongoing initiatives but also to catch up on delayed deliverables,” Mayor told the committee chaired by Sen. JV Ejercito.
He said the government has accomplished 71 percent of its commitments across major peace agreements as of Sept. 30, leaving substantial work in the normalization, transformation and reintegration of former combatants.
“With fiscal year 2027 as the last full year of the current administration, we must maximize this period to ensure a successful transition towards substantial completion by 2028,” Mayor said.
OPAPRU attributed implementation delays in previous years to the Covid-19 pandemic, governance issues and political transitions, making 2027 a critical period for catching up on unfinished commitments.
Of the PHP4.14-billion funding gap, about PHP3.02 billion represents proposed capital outlays, PHP1.03 billion covers maintenance and other operating expenses, and PHP88.14 million is for personnel services.
The recommended PHP9.30-billion allocation is nevertheless higher than the agency’s approximately PHP8.3-billion appropriation for 2026.
Unfinished peace commitments
The agency reported uneven progress across four major peace processes, with the government-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) agreement registering 67 percent overall accomplishment.
Although the political component has reached 100 percent following the September Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, the normalization program remains at 49 percent.
OPAPRU Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento disclosed that 13,855 of the approximately 40,000 MILF combatants have yet to be decommissioned, with socioeconomic assistance and adjustments to reintegration packages among the challenges slowing implementation.
The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) peace process, meanwhile, has reached only 43 percent accomplishment, with its transformation program at 16 percent.
In contrast, the Cordillera-Bodong Administration–Cordillera People’s Liberation Army peace process has reached 91 percent, while the agreement involving the Revolutionary Proletarian Army–Alex Boncayao Brigade stands at 85 percent.
OPAPRU aims to complete the remaining Cordillera commitments by the end of 2026 and substantially advance other peace agreements through 2028.
Peace investments
Mayor said the proposed 2027 allocation would prioritize normalization and transformation programs, socioeconomic reintegration and infrastructure development in conflict-affected communities.
About PHP4.95 billion under the recommended budget is earmarked for the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) infrastructure program, which supports roads and other development projects in geographically isolated and conflict-vulnerable areas.
The agency also plans to expand livelihood assistance, skills training, emergency employment and educational support for former combatants and their families.
Mayor said these interventions are intended to address conditions that could trigger renewed recruitment into armed groups and prevent communities from returning to violence.
“These budget requests are not mere expenditures. They are urgent investments in securing a just, sustainable, and lasting peace,” he said.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who joined the deliberations, emphasized that sustaining peace would require more than completing political agreements, particularly through education and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
“The only way to sustain peace is they have their own livelihoods, they have their own jobs, they have their own businesses,” Gatchalian said.
Sarmiento likewise underscored the importance of economic development in preventing renewed conflict, noting that peace initiatives must translate into improved living conditions for former rebels and their communities.
The OPAPRU said it would continue working with other government agencies and local and international development partners to address funding requirements and accelerate the remaining commitments.
Mayor stressed that adequate government funding in 2027 would remain crucial to ensuring that the gains achieved under existing peace agreements are sustained beyond the current administration. (PNA)
PEACE FUNDING GAP. Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento (2nd from left) discusses the government’s unfinished peace commitments during the Senate’s 2027 budget hearing on Tuesday (Oct. 20, 2026). OPAPRU is facing a PHP4.14-billion shortfall in its proposed funding for next year as it works toward substantially completing major peace agreements by 2028, with overall implementation at 71 percent as of Sept. 30.
