Marcos bares strong support for BARMM

DAVAO CITY –President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a strong advocate of peace, has urged the leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to continue their efforts towards greater success as he lauded them during its historic first Local Legislative General Assembly held here.

“We have already taken our first steps. All we have to do is to continue what we have started to make sure that we never waver in our determination to succeed,” Marcos told lawmakers during the recent assembly.

BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo; BARMM Finance and Budget Management Minister Ubaida Pacasem; the Vice Mayors’ League led by its regional chairperson Vice Mayor Almedzar Hajiri; and, the Philippine Councilors’ League led by regional chairperson, Councilor Shariefuddin Lucman attended the assembly. 

Marcos also revealed that he insisted on being present in the November 14 assembly to witness the very important day not only to the BARMM, but to the entire country. He expressed confidence in the creation of the BARMM as it will allow greater cooperation, coordination, and convergence of the government's endeavors for further development in the southern region.

“The National and Bangsamoro governments will now have greater cooperation because of these offices that are now been established. We will have greater cooperation, greater coordination, and we will converge towards the realization of our shared endeavors,” he said.

Collaboration

Marcos urged local officials to explore various collaborations aimed to improve the lives of their constituents. “The insights and initiatives that will transpire from this discussion are crucial to our goal of achieving peace and progress in our nation and BARMM governments … As you use this platform to assess the challenges in the implementation of the Organic Act for the BARMM, you also explore various collaborations that will improve the socio-economic condition of the Bangsamoro people,” he said.

He also assured that his administration will continue to support BARMM’s development agenda. In line with this, Marcos informed them that the Philippines and Japan have signed and exchanged the Diplomatic Notes on the Non-Project Grant Aid for the acquisition of $6.8 million-worth of construction equipment for road network improvement and disaster quick response operation in BARMM.

This project aims to aid in relief operations, including the restoration of vital access roads, bridges, and waterways, as well as to assist in relief operations after natural disasters and calamities.

“With these initiatives, we will usher in a new era where BARMM becomes a shining beacon of sustainable development in Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines. As we venture together on this collective journey, I invite each and every Filipino to significantly take part in forging our path of progress, of inclusivity, and prosperity for the Bangsamoro region and the entire nation,” Marcos said.

Cooperation

Marcos said that their presence and the holding of the assembly signify that the spirit of cooperation and unity runs strong among the BARMM leaders as he emphasized that their insights and initiatives are crucial to achieving peace and progress in the whole country.

“As you use this platform to assess the challenges in the implementation of the Organic Act for the BARMM, you also explore the various collaborations that will improve the socio-economic condition of the Bangsamoro people. It is very important and the simplicity of your ceremonies here today belies the importance of what we are opening today. It is a landmark day. It is a historic day. It is historic and it is a landmark day because it is a measure of progress that we have made over so many decades as we have strived for peace,” he said.

“We have made some false starts. We have come to some success. But we have never come this far. But it also reminds us how much work there still needs to be done. The organization of a new regional autonomous government is something that we still have to learn about,” he said.

Marcos said the autonomous region is also something that both the national and BARMM governments have to study with the experiences of other people and of other countries. “How that is going to work, how we will conceptualize it, how we will operationalize it. That is the job that you have before you today,” he emphasized.

He assured BARMM leaders led by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim and Speaker Pangalian Balindong of the administration’s unwavering support for the development agenda to achieve a sustainable and peaceful self-governance. Ebrahim and Balindong and members of the Parliament hailed Marcos’ strong support to BARMM. (Mindanao Examiner)