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Former PM Virata, MILF chair in historic meet to discuss Bangsamoro government transition

Former PM Virata, MILF chair in historic meet to discuss Bangsamoro government transition

By Patrick Garcia

Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata and Moro Islamic Liberation Front Chairman Murad Ebrahim Al Hajj met for the first time on November 22 and talked about the parliamentary system of government and future plans for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

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Virata, who served as Prime Minister from 1981 to 1986 and recognized internationally as one of the best finance ministers in Asia, shared his experiences on organizing the Batasang Pambansa (Parliament) and developing effective policies for fiscal, land, agriculture, civil service, and infrastructure. The said historic meeting between the two leaders took place at a time when Murad is in the thick of preparations for the holding of a plebiscite to establish the BARMM. They were joined by highly respected business and government leaders, namely: Philtrust Bank President Jaime C. Laya (first Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management and the 5th Central Bank Governor), Margarito B. Teves (former Finance Secretary), Jose P. Leviste (former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and Secretary General of the Prime Minister), Senen Bacani (former Agriculture Secretary and a member of the government peace panel), Corazon Alma de Leon (former Chair of the Civil Service Commission and former Chair of the Career Executive Service Board), and Amina Rasul-Bernardo (President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) and a cabinet member of former President Ramos). Accompanying Murad were several key figures of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front namely Mohammad Yacob (Executive director of the Bangsamoro Development Agency), Mohammad Ameen (Chief secretariat of the MILF Central Committee), Sammy Al-Mansoor (Chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) - MILF), and Said Salendab (Hayatul Ulama Secretary General).

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