DOCUMENTARY: BARMM peace journey successfully unfolds new chapter in uplifting the lives of the Bangsamoro people

 

Seated at center left is President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., besides him at right is BTA Chief Minister Ahod Ibrahim

BY JUN ENRIQUEZ (President, Mangagawang Media ng Mindanaw - MMM)

I was delighted during the inauguration event of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), 15 September 2022, held at the BARMM complex in Cotabato City for the extension of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), with 80-member parliament until 2025. This is because we are longing for lasting peace to prevail in Mindanao. The said event was attended by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., as the Guest of Honor and Speaker.

BARMM as a peace formula at the minimum as part of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB) of 2014, is a product of the GPH-MILF (Government of the Republic of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation Front) peace process, headed by the MILF leadership towards development and for uplifting the lives of the Bangsamoro people in the region.

It may recall that Republic Act (RA) No. 11054, the Organic Law for BARMM, repealed the RA 6734 and as amended by RA 9054, otherwise known as the “Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).” 

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was enacted in 2018 and plebiscite followed in 2019, asking the nod of the people in the Bangsamoro region whose places to be included officially for the composition of the BARMM are the following: These are the (six) 6 provinces such as Basilan (except Isabela City); Lanao del Sur; Maguindanao del Norte; Maguindanao del Sur; Sulu; Tawi-tawi. The three (3) cities of Cotabato, Lamitan and Marawi. The 2,590 Barangays (including 63 Barangays in the special geographic area in Cotabato), with 116 municipalities. All of these places can be found in Mindanao.

The Bangsamoro region is rich in its culture and tradition with different languages in different provinces such as Maguindanaon, Maranao, Yakan, Tausug, Sama, Iranun, Tiruray, Sabah Malay, Cebuano, Tagalog, Arabic and English, among others. The BARMM is composed of eight (8) legislative districts.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ibrahim in his message aimed to achieve lasting peace and development in the Bangsamoro homeland in Mindanao. He said, for the past 3 years is not that easy, they tried their best to consolidate their collective efforts and enacted 31 laws including the 3 priority bills such as the Administrative code, Education code and Civil service code. They also passed the Annual Appropriation law.

Chief Minister Ibrahim stated the remarkable performance of the BARMM governance, was able to reduce poverty incidence from 55.90 percent in 2018 down to 29.80 percent in 2021, which is equivalent from 356,170 poor families reduced to 207,160 poor families. The Bangsamoro region has increased its economic growth at 7.50 percent, the second fastest growing regional economy in the country. This growth was aggregated at 7.20 percent, the highest growth value in Agriculture and fisheries industry in 2021. In the second quarter of 2022, the Bangsamoro region rank first as fish producing region with 346.42 metric tons or 28.60 percent of fisheries production out of the country’s total fisheries production of 1,213.31 metric tons.

BARMM is vibrant of investment destination in the country. In 2019, it has recorded Php 8.1 billion worth of investments equivalent to 6.077 percent employment opportunity. It shows the comparison for the period of the past 3 years has recorded more than the past 30 years of ARMM existence.

BTA Chief Minister Ahod Ibrahim

The importance of infrastructure development is vital need in connecting the areas of the BARMM boosting economy, constructed paved, improved and rehabilitated at least 457. 748 kilometers local road, 34 bridges, 26 flood controls, 14 ports construction and rehabilitation, 170 water system projects, turnover 465 housing units for the poorest of the poor, at least 3,200 housing units are currently being constructed to help alleviate more families out of the poverty line.

Infrastructure support on LGUs and government agencies once completed will be able to provide at least 220 Barangay halls, 26 public markets, 9 Municipal police stations, 21 Municipal hall buildings, and 14 desalination machines, with other facilities such as sanitary landfill and public terminals.

Just this year has resumed the face to face classes, the BARMM constructed 482 new school buildings, with 95,188 Bangsamoro arm chairs, textbooks, learning materials, school bags and other school supplies. Awarded 27,300 scholarship program, ranging from technical, vocational, college, medicines, sciences and technology. Part of the strategies that no Bangsamoro child is left behind at least to produce one professional per family.

More transition challenges need to overcome within the extended transition period. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) will always be preserved, as well as the leadership of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). The Decommissioning aspect of the peace agreement will be able to settle the remaining 5,500 former MILF combatants and putting 2,400 firearms beyond use, the third and final phase of the decommissioning process.

In the past month, the historic oath taking ceremony in Malacanang signaled the second chapter of the transition period and committed to sustain the momentum and file 20 cabinet bills at the start of the formal session of the parliament. These bills include the remaining priority codes to deliver the Bangsamoro Electoral code and Local government code, to be finished in the first quarter of 2023. The remainder is to enact the Indigenous peoples (IPs) rights act, the gender and development code, Internally displaced persons (IDPs) law, Magna carta with the persons with disability (PWDs), Irrigation system bill, energy development corporation of the Bangsamoro charter and other important legislation.

BTA Chief Minister Ibrahim assured President Marcos, Jr. to complete all the remaining priority bills not only ready for the peaceful and orderly 2025 elections but also a government capable of continuing transformation of the BARMM into a progressive and responsive region.  National unity and reconciliation vows to work together the differences in terms of strategies but at the end of the day bound by common goal and faith.

Handover of draft codes

Ibrahim said, the Bangsamoro peace process started during President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., the father of now President Marcos, Jr., a time long journey, the process will end in this administration as one of their legacies. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leaders Prof Nur Misuari and Muslimen Sema, is now expressed their support with the BARMM.

After delivering his message, Chief Minister Ibrahim handover the printed draft of the Bangsamoro electoral code and local government code to President Marcos, Jr..

Oath taking for the BTA members of parliament was followed administered by Chief Minister Ibrahim, in its commitments of completely committed to devoid the evils of governance especially the graft and corruption, illegal drugs and other criminalities.

In his message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., appreciated the BTA headed by the Chief Minister Ahod Ibrahim for having the long list of achievements for BARMM development. He also extended his appreciation for the passage of important legislations, such as the Civil service code, Education code and local government code for the Bangsamoro government.

President Marcos said that it was just the beginning of formalizing the structure and functions of the Bangsamoro government on self-governance. He expressed his unwavering commitment of the peace process and to BARMM, steadfast to the commitment of the peace process for economic development, Promote peace and development affected by the decades of conflict. The President said through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program, will promotes socio-economic intervention, build the culture of peace in highly conflict affected and vulnerable areas.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

The President said, the government allocated more than Php 19 billion from the period 2017-2022, which delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department of budget and Management (DBM) has allocated Php 74.4 billion for the Bangsamoro region for the fiscal year 2023.

President Marcos, Jr. urged the BTA to pass legislation especially taxation and the facilitation of the BARMM election in 2025. He also urged to pass legislations for the welfare of the Bangsamoro people especially on Agri-fishey production, health, infrastructure and e-governance.

The President said, September is National consciousness month, with the unity and solidarity, the BTA centered in promoting good governance and lasting peace for its people. “We walk this path together, at the end of the journey is historical justice, progress, stability and unity and the people long aspired for” said President Marcos, Jr..  

In this contexts, I should say supposedly, if the six (6) municipalities of Lanao del Norte, such as, Munai, Tangkal, Nunungan, Balo-i, Pantar and Tagoloan, whose the most conflict affected areas in the province have been included in the BARMM, it would be very best for them to benefit all those projects enumerated by BTA Chief Minister Ibrahim, then, journeying dual opportunities from BARMM and the province of Lanao del Norte in terms of peace and development, is very grateful in uplifting the lives of the people in these areas.

Also present during the event, MNLF leader Prof. Nur Misuari, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, among others. (Photo credits: PTV)