By Yas D. Ocampo, Manila Bulletin

Davao City – Representatives from donor nations vowed to continuously monitor the progress of the peace talks between the Philippine Government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), after the announcement of Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza that the recently concluded Mindanao Trust Fund would extend beyond Bangsamoro beneficiaries.

Dureza, speaking at a closing ceremony of the MTF at the SMX Convention Center in Lanang, this city, said that while the MTF reached its conclusion last March 17, a wider scope that would include sectors eyed by the National Democratic Front of the Phillipines (NDF), Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and “other fragile stakeholders” is already in the works.

Mara Warwick, country director for the World Bank in the Philippines, said that there was already an overwhelming support of other nations to the project, with the MTF being a partnership between donor nations and the Bangsamoro Development Authority.

The MTF was a multi-donor facility established in 2005 to assist socio-economic recovery of conflict-affected communities in Mindanao.

The facility was administered by the World Bank, with the European Union (EU), Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and United States as contributing donors.

The 11-year partnership was celebrated in ceremonies held yesterday.

Warwick said the World Bank will be monitoring the progress of the transition that will come in the next two years.

“The [Philippine] government is putting in place a long-term bigger facility for future support,” Warwick said.

The EU has supported the BDA through grants amounting to at least P1 billion.