P70-M allocated for madaris construction in Basilan’s 11 towns, two cities

TUBURAN, Basilan (MindaNews / 18 January) – The provincial government of Basilan has allocated  P70 million for the construction of madaris buildings across the province’s 11 municipalities and two cities in 2026. The announcement was made by Governor Mujiv Hataman uring the graduation ceremony of Ma’had Al-Uthaimeen Al-Islamie, a madrasah here.

“The strengthening of the Islamic education through the madaris system is crucial in the development of our communities and in sustaining peace in Basilan,” the governor said. 

^{Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman stresses the importance of madaris education in peacebuilding during a graduation ceremony in Tuburan, Basilan on Sunday, January 18, 2026. MindaNews photo by JULES L. BENITEZ}

The madaris system in Basilan is run by roughly  3,800 Asatidz deployed in almost 400 madaris. About 95% of the existing madaris in the province are privately run. Madaris is plural of madrasah. 

The Governor also announced the release of three-month provincial counterpart to the honorarium of the Asatidz amounting to  P3,000 per teacher in time for the month of Ramadan. 

The funding support is sourced from the peace and order program of the provincial government. “This also supports the campaign against violent extremism,” Hataman said. 

^{Celebrating their accomplishments, 120 students of the Ma’had Al-Uthaimeen Al-Islamie attend their graduation in the municipal gym in Tuburan, Basilan on Sunday, 18 January 2026. MindaNews photo by JULES L. BENITEZ.}

“We are pleased with the initiative of the provincial government as this will bring us closer to the systemic integration of madaris in the mainstream educational systen,” said Ustadz Abdulmuhmin Mujahid, member of the Provincial Madaris Council. 

“But, we are requesting the government to closely monitor and supervise the development and growth of the madaris centers,” Abdulmuhmin said. (Jules L. Benitez / MindaNews)