BOL SUPPORT --- Representatives
from civil society groups and non-government organizations flank Office of the
Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process Undersecretary Nabil Tan (in
striped shirt) during the formal presentation of the signed Bangsamoro Organic
Law before Bangsamoro communities in Cotabato City. Also in photo are ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman (4th
from left) and MILF implementing peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal (3rd from
left). (PHOTO BY BPI-ARMM / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)
COTABATO
CITY --- Civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-government
organizations (NGOs) advocating for peace in Mindanao have expressed unity in
pushing for the implementation of RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM).
The groups that followed the Mindanao peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) until the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, expressed their satisfaction and all-out support to the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
Numbering around a thousand, the two groups attended last August 8 the presentation by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) of the new law that will replace and, possibly expand, the current ARMM at a gathering inside Sharif Kabunsuan Complex, the provisional seat of the ARMM in this city.
OPAPP Undersecretary Nabil Tan presented the new law to MILF representative Mohagher Iqbal as witnessed by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, Susan Anayatin of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), and Dato’ Kamarudin bin Mustafa, Malaysian facilitator for the Bangsamoro peace talks.
Speaking for 64 CSOs and NGOs under the League of Bangsamoro Organizations, Hashim Manticayan attributed the so-called "Moro problem" to the post-colonization era.
He
said since then the Moros have been marginalized in the aspects of political,
socio-economic, and cultural issues.
“The BOL is the blood of tens of thousands of martyrs and soldiers who lost their lives for the present and future generations to live a peaceful life,” said Manticayan of the decades-long struggle of the Moro people.
“The BOL is the blood of tens of thousands of martyrs and soldiers who lost their lives for the present and future generations to live a peaceful life,” said Manticayan of the decades-long struggle of the Moro people.
“This
is for the youths and for the future generations of Bangsamoro because they
will be the ones who will reap all these benefits,” he added.
While she was elated by the development, Froilyn Mendoza, a non-Moro and an Indigenous Peoples (IPs) leader, said there is still much work to be done for the realization of genuine peace and development in Mindanao as she urged the IPs to vote “yes” in the coming plebiscite.
“The BOL must be given flesh and spirit and must be ratified by the people so that the aspiration of our long-suffering people will be heard,” she added.
Hataman praised the stakeholders for attaining the milestone.
“We have reached this far because we were united, we have reached this because many of our brethren have sacrificed for us,” Hataman said.
He then posed a challenge to the Moro people to put good leaders to run the new regional government, likening it to a passenger bus that needs a good driver and behaved passengers for a smooth journey.
The ceremonial presentation of the BOL to the people of Muslim Mindanao came after President Duterte presented in Malacañang the newly-signed law to MILF leaders last August 6.
Tan, in addressing some 700 Moro and non-Moros at the Shariff Kabunsuan here, said the passage of the BOL is the start of a new chapter in the lives of the Bangsamoro people.
“This is ARMM plus-plus,” Tan said, explaining that with the passage of the BOL, more resources will now be poured into the region to accelerate its economic development.
These resources, he said, include an annual block grant that will be automatically appropriated to the BARMM government to fund its operations for the next 20 years.
While she was elated by the development, Froilyn Mendoza, a non-Moro and an Indigenous Peoples (IPs) leader, said there is still much work to be done for the realization of genuine peace and development in Mindanao as she urged the IPs to vote “yes” in the coming plebiscite.
“The BOL must be given flesh and spirit and must be ratified by the people so that the aspiration of our long-suffering people will be heard,” she added.
Hataman praised the stakeholders for attaining the milestone.
“We have reached this far because we were united, we have reached this because many of our brethren have sacrificed for us,” Hataman said.
He then posed a challenge to the Moro people to put good leaders to run the new regional government, likening it to a passenger bus that needs a good driver and behaved passengers for a smooth journey.
The ceremonial presentation of the BOL to the people of Muslim Mindanao came after President Duterte presented in Malacañang the newly-signed law to MILF leaders last August 6.
Tan, in addressing some 700 Moro and non-Moros at the Shariff Kabunsuan here, said the passage of the BOL is the start of a new chapter in the lives of the Bangsamoro people.
“This is ARMM plus-plus,” Tan said, explaining that with the passage of the BOL, more resources will now be poured into the region to accelerate its economic development.
These resources, he said, include an annual block grant that will be automatically appropriated to the BARMM government to fund its operations for the next 20 years.
Tan
said a special development fund will also be provided to fast-track the
rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas in the region. (Edwin
Fernandez, PNA - Cotabato)
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