COTABATO CITY — One Hundred Eighty-Four (181) Mujahideen Assistance for Science Education (MASE) Program grantees across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) took an oath and received a cash assistance  on June 15, 2022, at EM Manor Convention Center.

BARMM’s Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, MOST’s Minister Aida Silongan, MBHTE’s Minister Mohagher Iqbal, BARMM’s Mufti Sheik Abu Huraira Udasan, Members of the Parliament, MOST employees, parents of grantees, and other visitors graced the said activity.

In her initiative to support the sons/daughters of Mujahideen/Mujahidat, Minister Aida Silongan expedited the MASE Program to benefit grantees and help them ease their financial needs during their studies.

In a statement, Minister Silongan was glad on helping the children of combatants and encourage Members of the Parliament to continually support the program to help and support sons/daughters of mujahideen.

“Our mission of launching this program is to help the sons/daughters of MILF, MNLF, or other combatants pursue their study career in college by taking science and technology education courses. It is also to generate from them a pool of science enthusiasts who will later become human resources creating more science professionals, researchers, inventors, and innovators that will join the Bangsamoro workforce to help spin the wheel of economic development through science, technology, and innovations.” Minister said.

BARMM’s Chief Minister Ebrahim, MBHTE’s Minister Iqbal, and Bangsamoro Director-General Engr. Abdulrakman Asim also gave an inspirational message during the event.

Mufti Sheik Abu Huraira Udasan led the MASE Cash Assistance grantees’ oath-taking.

The 184 MASE grantees from different provinces across the Bangsamoro region received cash assistance amounting to PHP 40,000.00, covering the five (5) months of cash assistance for the first semester of 2022 (August to December).

The said program is not regular as it depends on the availability of funds coming from the Members of the Parliament’s TDIF. This first batch of grantees would only receive cash assistance for the first semester of the year. The cash assistance support would continue once funds are available.

Furthermore, Members of the Parliament Iki Ongpin, Suaib Oranon, Mujiv Abu, Rasul Enderes, and Muslima Asmawil gave a message of commitment to continue supporting the MASE program to help the sons/daughters of combatants.

The MASE Program is a cash assistance program of Member of the Parliament Engr. Aida Silongan, under her Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) supported by other MPs, and anchored in MOST’s Science Education, Scholarships, and Grants (SESG) that supports sons/daughters of combatants taking science and technology courses at any college level.

[AOM-IO]