The signing into law of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2018 is a testament that conflict can be resolved and bring forth peace in the Mindanao region, Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said.

Zubiri pointed this out during the launching of “The Road to Peace: Crafting the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” a coffee table book chronicling the legislative journey of one of the most significant milestones in Philippine history.

“Being from Mindanao, the BOL is one of my proudest legislative achievements,”  said Zubiri on Wednesday, December 4 during the launching held at the Old Senate Session Hall in the National Museum of Fine Arts.

“This book is a record of all the work that went into the law and the triumph of peace that it represents,” he continued.

Unveiling the coffee book at the National Museum, he said, is a fitting tribute to the historical significance of the subject of the book.

“It is a legislative achievement that we must all be proud of. Even other countries like Thailand are now looking at the BOL and the Bangsamoro region as models for their own peacebuilding initiatives,” said Zubiri, a native of Bukidnon who spearheaded the passage of the law.

Other countries, he said, is now looking at the Bangsamoro region as a model as it proves that “political solutions can pave the way for peace.”

Zubiri’s book captures the intensive hearings, debates and landmark visits to Camp Darapanan and Ground Zero of the Marawi Siege before the law’s passage through a series of photos and narratives.

The BOL was enacted in the aftermath of the Marawi Siege, a traumatic chapter in Mindanao’s history. It was envisioned as a foundation for long-term peace and progress in the Bangsamoro region.

The signing of the BOL paved the way for greater autonomy to the Bangsamoro region, addressing decades of armed conflict and fostering self-governance.

Last September 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the BOL’s constitutionality and reinforced its status as a cornerstone for peace and stability in the region.

“The passage and ratification of the BOL marked such an important turn in the development of the Bangsamoro region,” Zubiri emphasized.

“The BOL is our most effective political tool thus far to address the Bangsamoro people’s struggle for self-determination. It is a testament to what is possible when we commit to peace and governance,” he explained.

In effect, the book highlights the broader significance of the BOL as a model for conflict resolution.

Through The Road to Peace, the former Senate president said he wants to honor the people and efforts that contributed to the BOL’s success.

“I want everyone who was involved in the BOL to see themselves in these pages. I want them to look back on those long days and nights that we devoted to this law and feel proud of what we achieved,” he said.

“I want people to see just what it was like, and to hopefully be inspired by what we were able to do for the Bangsamoro region,” Zubiri added.

The launch was attended by former and incumbent legislators and officials involved in the crafting of the BOL and in the continued peace efforts in the Bangsamoro region, including Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sec. Carlito Galvez, former Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Win Gatchalian, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Grace Poe, Sec. Sonny Angara, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Bato dela Rosa, Sen. Cynthia Villar, Sen. Mark Villar, former Sen. Bam Aquino, former Reps. Ruby Sahali,  Joey Zubiri, Manuel Zubiri, and Celso Lobregat, former Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenza, LtGen. Roy Galido, Comm. Lemuel Espartinez, Gen. Rommel Marbil, Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua, 51 Members of the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and media personalities.