A moment that took decades to happen.
On Friday, October 30, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliament conducted the inaugural session of the first regular assembly in Cotabato City.
It is a significant milestone for the region as the parliamentary governance takes hold after a seven-year transition period.
During which, Members of Parliament (MPs) elected the officials who will lead the new parliamentary government, with MP Abdulraof Macacua voted Chief Minister after receiving 51 votes from the 79 MPs in attendance.
Macacua took his oath of office before Wālī Sheikh Muslim Guiamaden and then presided over the subsequent election of the Parliament Speaker, who was determined to he Atty. Amer Zaakaria Rakim.
“May your leadership usher in greater prosperity, advance the pursuit of justice and the resolution of historical injustices, and strengthen the foundations of lasting peace and inclusive development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),” the Bangsamoro Government said.
It continued, “May your leadership uphold the principles of parliamentary democracy, strengthen the legislative institution, and advance the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people for justice, lasting peace, prosperity, and inclusive development.”
PBBM: BANGSAMORO PARLIAMENTARY SESSION A MILESTONE IN PEACE PROCESS IN PH
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was also present at the parliamentary session, which he described as “milestone in the peace process” in the Philippines.
“This day is a milestone in the peace process between the National Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, marking the transition from armed struggle to peaceful democratic governance,” Marcos said in his speech. “To everyone who has contributed to the story of the Bangsamoro, thank you for never giving up on peace.”
President Marcos noted that winning the right to govern was a significant achievement, and that the successful conduct of the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections was another historic step forward.
Efforts efforts to find a political settlement starting in the 1970s when the national government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) signed the Tripoli Agreement, which was followed by further negotiations. and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
In 2012, the Philippine government and another group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), signed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
That framework served as the basis for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB)z which later led to Republic Act No. 11054 (or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL)) in 2018.
The law provided the legal foundation for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Moreover, it structured self-governance for the region, while keeping the region within the constitutional framework of the Republic of the Philippines.
Back to President Marcos’ speech, he said that the operationalization of an effective parliamentary government that will sustain the gains of peace and guide the Bangsamoro’s development in the years ahead is the next challenge that the BARMM Parliament needs to overcome.
The Chief Executive also said that the achievement belongs to all who have been involved and that the session launched a new phase of parliamentary governance, working within the broader presidential system.
President Marcos added that the new coalition must uphold unity, statesmanship, and cooperation to build a more peaceful and progressive BARMM.
“A stable government means enacting laws and delivering programs and services responsive to the needs of the Bangsamoro people. It also means using public resources efficiently and transparently to create economic opportunities and strengthen regional development,” he stressed.
“Above all, it means ensuring that the dividends of peace are felt in the daily lives of every Bangsamoro family,” President Marcos also said as he urged MPs to “never forget the struggle your people have endured.”
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND SUPPORT TO BARMM
Meanwhile, the President also vowed to the Bangsamoro government that the national government will continue to extend its support.
“On the part of the National Government, we will continue to expand economic opportunities for Mindanao as the Bangsamoro enters this new important chapter,” he said, highlighting the administration’s readiness to work with the government formally constituted by the newly elected Parliament.
The President also told the people of the Bangsamoro that the National Government “stands” with them and that their success is also that of the country.
“Hinding-hindi namin kayo pababayaan,” the President reaffirmed. “So, let us walk forward, trusting in God and in one another, toward a Bangsamoro that is peaceful and prosperous.”
“Truly, this is a victory for our Bangsamoro brethren. It is a victory for Mindanao. It is a victory for the entire Filipino nation,” the President added.
Meanwhile, PBBM honored the families and leaders who contributed to the struggles for peace. “We remember the families who suffered and lost loved ones during years of conflict. We honor them today,” the Chief Executive said.
“We also honor the leaders from every side of the table who listened to one another. Because their efforts paved the way for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority,” he added.
The first session day also ended the seven-year transition under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which was established to serve as the interim government and Parliament while the region prepared its political and institutional structures.
Last September 14, 84% of registered voters in the region participated in the inaugural Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, which enabled the Bangsamoro people to choose their representatives, advancing regional autonomy toward fully elected democratic governance.
