The crucial information you need to know about BARMM

Hello, it’s AM! I’m sending you my warmest greetings and hoping you are having a good day. 😄 

In today’s email, I will be sharing to you some of the most recent and relevant topic that needs an urgent attention. If you’re living in Cotabato City, or in just any parts of Maguindanao, keep reading. As a resident of Cotabato, it is your duty to be aware of what’s happening in your own city. With that being said, you can choose to stay and get educated, or you can just leave and waste the opportunity to learn something that concerns you. Nothing in between. It’s absolutely your choice.

Without further ado, let’s get into it.

To answer this question, yes, definitely.

BARMM, officially the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is a self-governed region situated in the southwestern part of Mindanao in the Philippines. With 5 provinces, 3 cities, 116 municipalities, and 2,590 barangays within their jurisdiction.

The 5 provinces include:

• Basilan (excluding Isabela City)

• Lanao Del Sur

• Maguindanao

• Sulu; and

• Tawi-tawi

The 3 cities include:

• Lamitan City

• Marawi City; and

• Cotabato City (The reason why it concerns us is because we are a citizen of Cotabato City, which is under the jurisdiction of BARMM)

In what was formerly known as ARMM, BARMM was formed with the approval of its basic law, of which we have probably already have heard (regardless of our religion), the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

The establishment of BARMM was the fruit and the pinnacle of the unwavering belief, self-determination, and faith of the Bangsamoro people. It is the end work of several years of peace talks between the Philippine government and autonomist groups, including the MNLF and MILF.

HISTORY (ARRIVAL OF ISLAM)

Muslim missionaries arrived in Tawi-tawi in the year 1380 to start the occupation and the conversion of the native population to Islam. Not long, the Sultanates of Maguindanao were also established. This is the time Spaniards ruled. Albeit recognizing the enemies’ reign, Muslims in the Southern Philippines resisted, persisted, and succeeded in defending their area which resulted for Spaniards to not succeed in their quest to conquer the whole archipelago of the Philippines.

The people in Northern and Central Philippines (Luzon and Visayas) which were landless after Spaniards successfully occupied their area, were permitted by the “United Nation’s Insular Government of the Philippine Islands” to migrate to Mindanao. The seemingly intrusion of migrants led to tensions among the people certainly about land ownerships. Due to the fact that the mostly-Christians migrants have claimed some ownership on the originally Muslim-owned land. This conflict has always been cited as one of the reasons that started the Moro conflict.

The government of the Philippines seemingly turned away from the Moros, heightening their dread brought about by the threat of migrants’ domineering position to the economy and political status in Mindanao.

JABIDAH MASSACRE

In March 1968, a Muslim man named Jibin Arula was rescued by a fisherman in Manila Bay, which was later revealed to be the lone survivor of the “Jabidah Massacre.” According to his account, the Marcos Administration were behind the recruitment for the secret commando unit called Jabidah. Which were aimed to train people that will destabilize and take over Sabah (a place where during the decolonization by the British after World War II, became part of the Malaysian Federation in 1963, which was protested by the Philippine government claiming that the Sabah was never sold to foreign interests and that it was only leased). Trainees were said to have rejected the mission which up until now left people wondering what really the reason behind. With whatever valid reasons the recruits had, all of them were killed, aside from Arula who survived by pretending he was already dead. His claims strengthened the conclusion that former Pres. Marcos, Sr. was ultimately responsible for the massacre.

This unfortunate event was acknowledged as a major turning point that evoked the Moro revolution in the Philippines.

The then Lanao Del Sur congressman Rashid Lucman called for congress to impeach Marcos but did not get enough support. He was then convinced that they should rule themselves in Muslim Mindanao which led him to establish the Bangsamoro Liberation Organization.

A month after Pres. Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law, Nur Misuari established Moro National Liberation Front to further emphasize the Moro separatism movement.

Today, March 18 is a holiday due to commemoration of the Jabidah Massacre, the execution 56 years ago of large number of Moro youth who were given mission for a military operation. It is a heroic date for the Bangsamoro people. It is indeed a date to commemorate the Day of the Martyrs.

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW

Officially designated as the Republic Act No. 11054, is the law that provided for the formation of the BARMM. It was signed into law by former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte on July 26, 2018.

The decades-long peace talks between the Bangsamoro people, and the Philippine government produced the law.

BANGSAMORO TRANSITION AUTHORITY

The BTA was established to serve as the interim government in the BARMM as the region is still in the transition period.

On October 28, 2021, Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11593, which extended the transition period of BARMM until 2025 and also postponed the BARMM’s first regular parliamentary elections from 2022 to 2025.

The current composition of the BTA will only be in charge of governing the region until June 30, 2025, since June 30 election is when it will start.

Its initial actions will involve drafting the administrative, local government, and electoral codes that would form the cornerstone of its governance.

GOVERNMENT

The Bangsamoro Government system is parliamentary-democratic.

Executive

The regional government is headed by a chief minister, which is currently Murad Ebrahim. The Chief Minister and his Cabinet will be in charge of executing laws.

Cabinet

The cabinet of Bangsamoro consists of two deputy chief ministers and other ministries. The chief minister is the one to nominate chief deputy ministers which are elected by members of the Parliament.

Legislative

The Bangsamoro Parliament serves as the legislature of the region. Mandated to have 80 deputies and is led by a speaker.

Judiciary

Just like its predecessor, ARMM, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region has its own regional justice system which applies Shari’ah law which is formed by the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur’an and the Hadith. Unlike ARMM, it was given permission to create a Shari’ah High Court which would consist of five justices. This system emphasizes inclusivity due to the fact that even non-Muslims could volunteer to submit themselves under the jurisdiction of Shari’ah law.

Council Leaders

The Council Leaders of the Bangsamoro Region advises the chief ministers on matters of governance. They do not have the power the legislative members have since they are not part of the Parliament.

Ceremonial

The ceremonial head is called the wali. His functions include guardianship of the territory, and he has the power to assemble and dissolve the legislature. This position is selected and appointed by the Parliament.

Why is there a need for a United BARMM?

The government can either make or break a nation and/or region. Every nation needs a united central authority that leads them but not greed them.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is not established for its own selfish gains, but it is established for its own self-determination. It was built in belief that it will just thrive as fine and have nothing to depend on. Which is something the Moro people have felt years, decades and even centuries ago, but felt alienated brought about by its dependence.

WHAT’S AHEAD OF THE BARMM

As Murad has entailed, the BTA gives greater importance to education, infrastructure, health services and social services. As the year 2025 nears, there is no denying of the chills that Bangsamoro people feels as though it was the day that the law was ratified. Next year will open another remarkable and momentous event for the people as the transition will finally come to its end and the elections will start.

Opportunity for Peace

The Bangsamoro people will at last be acknowledged by the law as a people with a distinct historical and cultural identity.

For people who raised their own flags and guns, it would mean laying their cards down in hopes for a better chance at achieving peace and independence.

Opportunity for Progress

There was no denying of the ARMM’s underdeveloped and left-behind status economically and politically.

It was proven by the citation released by the Philippine Statistics Authority as the poorest region in Mindanao where 59% of its population lived below the poverty threshold as of 2015.

BARMM is in existent to ensure that it will not go any further than that and provide the people of what they truly deserve. A chance at development.

BARMM, in comparison to ARMM, is more equipped with necessary tools to govern the people in the region that will bring about economic growth, political stability, and prosperity.

This promise of prosperity is evidently surfacing even as early as 5 years of the region’s establishment. Proved by the statistics released by Bangsamoro Information Office on April 29, 2022.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s economic performance increased by 7.5 percent in 2021 and was recorded as the second fastest growth among all regions in the country.

The 1st Parliamentary Election In BARMM

Interim Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim reiterated that a three-year transition period would not be enough to restructure the region’s government, moreover, to have the elections in that short and disrupted period of time. He stated that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was a justification to the delay on the passage of Bangsamoro Electoral Code. President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law on October 28 the bill postponing the elections.

The 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament Election is scheduled to take place in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on May 12. Elected officials would assume office on June 30 in the same year and would finally replace the interim BTA Parliament.

How is it going to be?

A total of 80 seats are going to be contested in the elections. The Bangsamoro people will vote for the most deserving and qualified leaders who are going to represent them in the 80-member Parliament which consists of:

• 40 members coming from political parties;

• 32 members which are district representatives; and

• 8 members which are sectoral representatives.

With the fast-approaching parliamentary election in the BARMM, the Bangsamoro Government is undoubtedly on their jobs to ensure of its successfulness.

Interior and Local Government Minister Alba said that one of the preparations include boosting voter awareness. To inform the public about the elections in 2025, extensive voter education materials have been prepared and will be distributed. Alba went on to say that they have worked with the Commissions on Elections to finalize the Bangsamoro Electoral Code’s Implementing Rules and Regulations.

There is no doubt that most of us are unaware of this upcoming significant event. So, the Bangsamoro people are doing everything they can to make aware the residents under BARMM as every voter’s voice and power is needed and that it must be heard through the use of their paper and pen in the day of the elections.

In order to attain the lasting peace and progress, it is our duty as an ordinary citizen to educate ourselves of what we can contribute to our own city’s development. Becoming aware of the significant events and programs the people in authority tries to hold, at the end of the day, it does not provide it all but knowing how to contribute to it wisely is.

Exercising our right to vote is useless if it is not used for the betterment of the whole region. Get educated and vote wisely.

PS. You! I would like to congratulate you for reading all the way here to the end! 😄 

It is an honor to have had shared some important information with you. You can email me right back for your comments, suggestions, and even criticisms. This is our aim here anyways. To engage to a short but informative and meaningful conversation. Once again, thank you and make the rest of your day count. Ciao!