BARMM anniversary

WE were invited to the turnover of the

Bureau of Fire

Protection (BFP) leadership of Lanao del Sur to the

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in Marawi.

One of the problems faced by protection forces in the BARMM area is adequate funding, particularly for transportation, so they can reach as many places as possible to educate on the value of fire hazard awareness, the BFP in this case. Fire is a major hazard because fire is used as a strategy in political violence, which is often an aftermath of elections.

The budget need is particularly true for security sectors, which need to go into places that only the underground can reach.

We hope that with a sizeable budget from the national government for the BARMM government through a block grant, these confidence-building measures will be met.

The BARMM government is now celebrating the fifth year of the passage of the BARMM Organic Law. It was marked by lively parades and festivities around Cotabato and various cities.

BARMM has a population of more than 4.4 million. It is composed of six provinces, three cities and an additional 63 barangay. It has a unique identity and heritage with natives and settlers as part of this mosaic inherited from centuries of colonization and migration.

We are pushing for BARMM to use the transition period to invest in decommissioning, a move that would take the armed fronts away from arms and into productive activities.

Next year, 2025, will be the BARMM elections. We hope that the region finds true peace through a stepby-step process. One mechanism to fight dynasties that concentrate power in themselves is new spaces and platforms for community representation through sectoral seats, which would be elective and appointive.