In honor and remembrance of the Mujahideen who fought for long years , a one-storey multi-purpose human development training center will soon rise in Kakar, Poblacion 8, Cotabato City for the capacitation of the Bangsamoro, after the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, broke ground with project proponent and Member of Parliament (MP) Romeo K. Sema and other partners on May 15, 2023.

Bangsamoro Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim shared that the training center project was funded under the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) 2022 under the office of MP Sema, who chose from the MHSD’s menu of project designs prepared by the MHSD’s Planning and Design Division.

MP Sema shared that the project intends to develop the capacity of the Barangay constituents, such as the youth, women and other sectors including the laborers, which is why his office will be collaborating with the contractor ENRA T-SQUARE and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide National Certificates 2 (NC2) to the workers and laborers who will be constructing the training center.

He then lauded the MHSD as the first Ministry to implement his office’s TDIF2022 project.

Senior Minister Abunawas L. Maslamama recounted his youth spent in Kakar, expressing how overwhelmed he was over the positive changes he is observing now. He reminisced recounted the stories of the commanders who have passed away and his personal contribution to the struggle.

“This training ground was a place for survival to save lives, now it will be a training place for development. I am grateful to Allah SWT for allowing me to live long enough to witness this scenario,” Sr. Minister Maslamama said.

Suharto S. Wahab, Director II for Technical and Regulatory Services, formally closed the program emphasizing that those living in the present must strive to build high-quality legacies to be left behind for the future generations.

The program was conducted at the Datu Ali “Basak” Kalantungan Sansaluna Multi-Purpose Building which, shared Former City Councilor Datu Sukarno Sema, was named after one of the Mujahideen who led the training camp for the MNLF Top 90.

Messages of support and commitment were also shared by MNLF Chief of Staff Doc Diocolano, MTIT representative Datukan Nul, Aleem Uz. Marhan Borhan and ENRA T SQUARE Proprietor Jann Rehman Alarcon.