MUSSOLINI S. LIDASAN Moving forward
The Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is significantly moving in both Houses, Congress and the Senate. In the past few weeks, the Senate Sub-Committee on the BBL finished its public hearings in the provinces and municipalities of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It is now conducting Technical Working Group meetings with the different government line agencies to improve the provisions of the proposed law.
Three committees handle the BBL in the House of Representatives: the Committee on Local Government, Committee on Muslim Affairs, and Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. The chairman of the joint committees is Rep. Pedro B. Acharon, Jr. of General Santos City.
Early this month, Acharon’s office sent an invitation to Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission to attend the meetings in Congress and the provincial public hearings/consultations.
I attended the public consultations in Cotabato City, Midsayap, and Davao City.
My reflections while sitting and listening to the statements of the members of the Committee on the BBL and from the people who attended the hearings, are as follows:
I believe we need to remind our lawmakers to set aside local politics and see the importance of enacting the BBL. The BBL tries to address the historical and structural injustices perpetrated against the Bangsamoro people. The Bangsamoro people aim to exercise their right to self-determination.
In providing the Bangsamoro the right to self-determination, it needs genuine and more comprehensive political and fiscal autonomy. The provinces in ARMM are among the top ten poorest in the country. Since the establishment of the ARMM, the Bangsamoro problem has not been fully addressed.
The BBL has the support of the framers of the 1987 Constitution. Former chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and former associate justice Adolf Azcuna said in the Senate hearings on the BBL that the Bangsamoro Transition Commission’s version of the BBL is free from constitutional infirmities. Congress needs to invite them and some members of the academe to enlighten their fellow lawmakers about the provisions in the BTC draft BBL.
On the side of the participating public, I noticed that most of them did not read the BBL. They are not fully aware of what are the important provisions there what the BBL aims to achieve for the Bangsamoro. Thus, they cannot give substantial comments and recommendations.
There must be intensive information and education campaigns about the BBL. The public needs to have an informed opinion about it.
I am optimistic that the House and the Senate will pass the BBL within the timeline set by the Duterte administration and that it will be ratified by the people before or after the President Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July.
The huge challenge is actually in how we can make sure that the BBL will be able to deliver its main objectives to the Bangsamoro and how we can ensure that we address poverty, have sustained delivery of social services to our people, and ensure that we will have good governance, transparency and accountability.--
Maybe I will let Margot run, it’s just a thought. The workload of the mayor is very clerical. I want to concentrate on few things. My wife doesn’t know this and she might get angry with me. There must be intensive information and education campaigns about the BBL. The public needs to have an informed opinion about it