BARMM satellite office in Zamboanga proposed

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said he will propose to BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim to put up a satellite office of all non-devolved regional agencies in Zamboanga City to ensure accessibility to Muslims and resulting in the ease of government business for the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The three provinces make up the local economy. According to the 2017 report by the Philippine Statistics Office, among the cities in Mindanao, Zamboanga in Region 9 tops the list of the most Muslim-populated area with 302,795; this was trailed by Cotabato City (228,036), City of Isabela (72,182) Davao City (63,127) and General Santos City (51,705). 

The latest PSA survey is not immediately available, but it is estimated that about 40% of the over 1 million population of Zamboanga are Muslims, many of whom emigrated to the city or were attracted by the socio-economic opportunities not available in the nearby native provinces. 

Tan bared this information during the recent visit and courtesy call of members of the Bureau of Local Government Finance in Region 9 - Sheryl Cañales, PeterLeo Rabulan, Marina Lopez, and Arafat Galo - to Sulu.

The governor met with Ebrahim at the recent meeting of the Council of Leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The Council of Leaders is an advisory body mandated to assist the BARMM Chief Minister in governing the autonomous region.

The Council of Leaders consists of both elected and nominated community and sectoral representatives. The holder of the Chief Minister position heads the council. The other elected members are the executive heads of Bangsamoro's provinces and chartered cities as well as members of the House of Representatives from the autonomous region.

Tan and the other provincial governors - Hadjiman Salliman, Basilan; Mamintal Adiong, Lanao del Sur; Abdulraof Macacua, Maguindanao del Norte; Mariam Mangudadatu, Maguindanao del Sur; and Yshmael Sali, of Tawi-Tawi - are members of the Council of Leaders.

Aside from them, members of the House of Representatives - Mujiv Hataman, Basilan; Yasser Balindong, Lanao del Sur; Shahara Mastura, Maguindanao del Norte; Mohamad Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur; Samier Tan and Abdulmunir Arbison, Sulu; Dimszar Sali, Tawi-Tawi; also sit in the Council of Leaders, as well Mayors Bruce Matabalao, Cotabato City; Majul Gandamra, Marawi; Roderick Furigay, Lamitan; and community and sectoral representatives Mlang Madal, Ernie Moral, Noni Lao, Orlando Quevedo, Aboulkhair Tarason, Mohammad Alon, Malik Caril, Tungko Tadtagan, Shalimar Candao, Faisal Nahul and Musa Solaiman.

During the September 2013 siege of Zamboanga, Tan, a philanthropist, and his family, and mayors of Sulu and the Tausug people, led the governors of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi in delivering food aid to the people, and donated millions of pesos to the local government to help those displaced by the fighting. They were the first to send boats loaded with goods after the siege that lasted 20 days.

The fighting broke out after hundreds of members of the Moro National Liberation Front under Nur Misuari attacked Zamboanga in protest of the Philippine government’s failure to implement the 1996 final peace agreement with the former rebel group. (Mindanao Examiner)