BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
First of all, I would like to thank President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) for joining the 17th Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) meeting on Feb. 8. This is the sixth meeting under his administration and our first meeting for this year. As Co-chairperson of the IGRB, with Minister Mohagher Iqbal for the side of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the full support of the President as we continue to work hard for the economic transformation of BARMM, strengthening its vital role in our Agenda for Prosperity and our vision for Bagong Pilipinas.
I was especially moved by his statement that “a stronger BARMM means a stronger Mindanao, and a stronger Mindanao means a stronger Philippines.” The following statement, which he also emphasized in his speech, is also true and resonated with the sentiments of those from BARMM: “Bagong Pilipinas is incomplete without a Bagong Bangsamoro rising along and within it.”
The IGRB, for those who may not be familiar, is an intergovernmental body which deals with the relations of the Bangsamoro government and the Philippine national government. Created in 2019 under Section 2, Article VI of Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the IGRB is also tasked to aid in the sound and efficient governance and development of BARMM, as well as in fostering collaboration to ensure lasting peace.
Last week’s IGRB assembly was especially significant as it took place during the commemoration of Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj or the Night Journey and Ascension of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) from Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem — a miracle second only to the revelation of the Qur’an.
As a daughter of Mindanao, it was meaningful for me to meet with our BARMM ministers on this special day in Islam, with no less than the President joining us, to further discuss the steady realization of the economic transformation of the Bangsamoro region. (For those who do not know, I am Maranao, a Muslim Filipino ethnic community indigenous to the surroundings of Lake Lanao in the Southern Philippines.)
Also worthy to note is the fact that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Thus, I agree with my Co-chairperson, Minister Iqbal, when he said that there is no better way to begin the year for the IGRB, one of the most active and fruitful innovations of the Bangsamoro Peace Process, than being graced by PBBM and BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, as well as representatives from institutions that support its establishment and continue to fortify it — the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Bangsamoro Parliament.
I also agree with Chief Minister Ebrahim’s statement that the IGRB has made significant progress in the past five years while aiming for a united, enlightened, self-governing, peaceful, just, and morally upright Bangsamoro. In his special message, he reiterated that the paramount objective for the Bangsamoro government remains — the establishment of an autonomous region that is functional, ready, and thriving in an ever-changing and competitive society. Hence, I join his call for us to “continue writing the chapters of our story, a story of determination and hope in chartering our political future that is defined by prosperity and peace, and to preserve our historical identity and ancestral rights.”
The Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination dates back to the 15th century, when Sultan Sharif ul-Hashim established the Sulu Sultanate. They formed independent states in Mindanao, the Sulu-Tawi-Tawi archipelago, Basilan, and Palawan, maintaining ties and trade with China. Their well-structured political system protected their identity and prevented subjugation.
Aware of this history, we in the IGRB remain steadfast in enhancing and fortifying the importance of the Bangsamoro region, with the full and unwavering support of the government serving as a concrete reassurance of our commitment to inclusivity and lasting peace.
In the tapestry of Philippine society, diversity has always been our strength. Within our heterogeneity, the voices of the minority, including my own, resonate with stories of resilience, fervor, and distinct perspectives that enrich the whole narrative of the collective Filipino identity.
With all these in mind, it gives us hope that under the current leadership of PBBM, our voices are finding acknowledgment, acceptance, and action. I applaud our President as he underscored in his IGRB speech the responsibility owed to the young Filipinos and future generations, stressing that the horrors and tribulations of the past shall never afflict them again. As brothers and sisters united under one nation, he envisions a brighter future in a more compassionate society where hard work is rewarded with opportunities, dreams are being realized, and peace with justice prevails.
I believe that the formation of the BARMM is a vital segment of Philippine history. As a daughter of Mindanao, it brings me immense joy and satisfaction to be part of this new chapter in our history, past the peace talks, now doing everything we can to ensure lasting peace and the steady realization of all our dreams for the Bangsamoro region.
Beyond budget, I truly hope to fully achieve all these dreams: a brighter BARMM, a brighter Mindanao, a brighter Philippines for all. This is Bagong Pilipinas for me. In shaa Allah, may we see all these fulfilled under the Agenda for Prosperity.
(Amenah F. Pangandaman is the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.)