DAVAO CITY - The Bangsamoro government, on Monday, hoisted the Bangsamoro flag next to the Philippine colors for the first time in a symbolic ceremony to officially start the week-long celebration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's (BARMM) founding anniversary.
"Here we are – hoisting the Bangsamoro flag next to the Philippine flag for the first time ever," said BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim
In a statement, Ebrahim added, "(w)e can now proudly say that we have achieved genuine autonomy that encapsulates the long history of the Bangsamoro people – our sacrifices and our shared vision for the next generation."
The symbolic hoisting of the Bangsamoro flag was held Monday morning at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City and was simultaneously observed in BARMM areas.
Foundation day
The Bangsamoro government said the Bangsamoro Foundation Day is set on January 21.
"Chapter 2, Sec. 10. of the Bangsamoro Administrative Code states that January 21 is proclaimed as the Bangsamoro Foundation Day and declared a non-working holiday in celebration of the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region," it said.
It added that the founding anniversary "shall be celebrated in recognition of the dreams and aspiration of the people to chart their social, political, cultural and economic destiny in exercise of their right to self-determination.”
The Bangsamoro government said the display of the Bangsamoro flag, alongside the flag of the Republic of the Philippines, was pursuant to Section 2, Article II of Republic Act No. 11054 otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
BARMM was created through the signing of the BOL in 2018 and its subsequent ratification by a plebiscite in 2019. The BOL was the result of a two-decade peace negotiation between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines.
'Moral governance'
The week-long celebration has the theme “Moral Governance: Building Strong Foundations for a Better Bangsamoro.”
The flag ceremony was followed by a symbolic turnover of 100,000 armchairs to several schools in BARMM.
Ebrahim, together with BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, also led the symbolic distribution of relief goods and wheelchairs, and launching of regional disaster vehicles and equipment.
Week-long activities
The Bangsamoro government will also sign several agreements including a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the support to local government units’ infrastructure in Maguindanao province, a MOA with the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College (CCSPC) on the BARMM government’s assistance to indigent students, and an executive order on the creation of Salam Bangsamoro program. The program is aimed at "providing livelihood assistance to 10,000 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) combatants who returned to the fold of law."
As part of its week-long celebration, BARMM’s different ministries will also hold several activities including synchronized medical and surgical missions to all provinces and cities in BARMM, including the 63 barangays by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The Bangsamoro Government added that the MOH will hold a hand over critical equipment and supplies for safer cold chain management.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) will conduct a jobs fair, and the Education Ministry will distribute a P25,000 subsidy grants for Madaris and checks to Access to Higher and Modern Education (AHME) scholars.