Marcos Calls For Unity Among All Bangsamoro Leaders

President Marcos visited Cotabato City on Thursday, Sept. 15, and praised the new parliament of the Bangsamoro region for answering the call of “unity and shared responsibility” toward peace and progress in Mindanao.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 80 appointed members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in southeastern part of Cotabato City, Marcos also assured them of his administration’s full support for the peace process.

“As your President, I assure you, the BTA and all the Bangsamoro people, of this administration’s full and unwavering commitment to the peace process and to BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao),” he said.

“The diverse representation now of the BTA speaks volumes of your answer towards that call for unity, of shared responsibility, and the invitation to advocate peace and development in the Bangsamoro region,” he added.

Having called for unity among the Filipinos during his campaign to be president, Marcos also thanked the Philippines’ development partners for supporting peace and development efforts in BARMM.

”The path to lasting peace is always under construction. But we walk this path together and we walk it, not because it is an easy one. We walk this path together because even if it is difficult, we know that at the end of the journey is historical justice, progress, peace, stability, and the unity that our peoples and our nation have long aspired for and so rightly deserve,” he said.

“I look forward to the fulfillment of your vision to realize a united, enlightened, self-governing, peaceful, just, morally upright and progressive Bangsamoro,” he added.

Balindog reelected speaker

Maranao lawyer Ali Pangalian Balindong was unanimously reelected speaker of the interim parliament for their 2022-2025 tenure.

Marcos appointed all the members of the BTA last month after the 2019-2022 term of those who served under former president Rodrigo Duterte ended.

Many of Duterte’s appointees were reappointed by Marcos, including Balindong who hails from Malabang town in the second district of Lanao del Sur.

Balindog, 82, is a scion of a politically influential clan in the province and had served as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016.

He was also a member of the defunct Regional Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao before joining the BTA, which oversees the Bangsamoro government established in 2019.

Marcos pushes taxation laws

During his speech, the President also underscored that the government is “steadfast” in pushing for peace and development interventions in conflict-affected areas, noting an allocation of P74.4 billion for the Bangsamoro region for fiscal year 2023.

Marcos exhorted members of the Bangsamoro parliament to study which measures are best for public and social welfare.

“Given these new opportunities to deliver our commitments to the people of BARMM, I urge you to pass all the crucial legislations on fiscal policy, particularly taxation, and to facilitate the conduct of the elections in the BARMM in 2025,” said Marcos.

“I also encourage the BTA to pass measures that will secure the welfare of the Moro people particularly in agri-fishery, healthcare, transportation, communication, digital infrastructure, and e-governance,” he added.

Among those listening to Marcos’ speech was Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and member of the BTA, which has oversight on the operation of the regional autonomous government.

Also present at the event was Nur Misuari, founder of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Ebrahim said the BTA is poised to file more than 20 bills upon the start of the session of parliament.

“We commit to deliver the Bangsamoro electoral code and the Bangsamoro local government code if not by the end of the year, then by the first quarter of 2023,” the chief minister said.

The establishment of the BARMM is a product of 22 years of peace talks between Malacañang and the MILF which now holds a majority of 41 seats in the BTA.

The importance of attaining peace and progress in BARMM was underscored by the President himself when he addressed the parliament of the Moro-led autonomous region.

He lauded the body for approving the Bangsamoro transition plan and for passing key legislation such as the Administrative Code, Civil Service Code and Education Code, achievements that he described as “cornerstones of BARMM moral self-governance.”

Joining the President in his visit to the BARMM Capitol were Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Martin Romualdez.

After his speech, Marcos and his entourage immediately left for the Awang Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, near the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, about eight kilometers away.

BARMM is composed of the provinces of Basilan (except Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi; the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan and Marawi, and 63 barangays in six towns of North Cotabato. – With Alexis Romero