We traveled to Japan last week to attend a symposium commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) together with Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim per invitation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Over the years, Japan and the rest of the international development community have been indispensable allies of the Philippines in sustaining the gains we have made under the Bangsamoro peace process. This is what I highlighted in my presentation during the gathering.
The event gave us an excellent opportunity to showcase the major achievements of the Government of the Philippines in the CAB’s implementation.
The 10th anniversary of the CAB is truly a momentous occasion not only for the Bangsamoro people but for all Filipinos. It marks a decade of cooperation, complementation, and synergy in the pursuit of peace, development, and prosperity in the Bangsamoro region.
As we celebrate this milestone, it is important to reflect on the key factors that contributed to the success of the peace process, particularly the invaluable assistance and solidarity shown by our international partners. It is because of their support that we have made such major strides.
The signing of the CAB on March 27, 2014, was truly a shining moment in our nation’s history. It concluded 17 challenging years of negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The hard work of both parties certainly paid off.
This agreement will be remembered for being the first comprehensive peace deal in the world signed by a woman – Ms. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer – as the national government’s chief negotiator. It laid the groundwork for genuine autonomy and political empowerment for the Bangsamoro people.
The CAB’s implementation over the past decade has been remarkable. It continues to gain traction and has delivered concrete results. It has proven that patience, resilience, and determination pay dividends.
One cannot overemphasize the importance of Japan's contribution to the forging of the CAB. The Japanese government’s role was pivotal in all phases of the peace process – from the secret meeting between former President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III, and Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim in 2011 - to restarting the formal GPH-MILF peace negotiations in the same year. This led to the CAB's eventual signing in 2014, and the ongoing implementation.
Japan’s commitment to the Bangsamoro and the rest of Mindanao has not wavered since. Through JICA, the Japanese government has contributed $515 million or ₱26 billion to fund more than 100 peace and development projects across Mindanao since 2002.
This support has been instrumental in implementing the CAB’s political-legislative and normalization tracks. The passage and ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its interim government.
The normalization program, on the other hand, is transforming former MILF combatants and their families into peaceful and productive members of society, and turning their communities into show windows of peace and development.
Since the BOL’s ratification, the region has experienced relative peace, preventing major conflicts similar to the Zamboanga and Marawi sieges. This stability is a testament to the impact that the CAB has made on the region’s peace and security.
As BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim underscored in his keynote address at the forum, what makes the CAB a landmark agreement is its historic recognition of the Bangsamoro people's right to self-determination.
Chief Minister Ebrahim remarked that the agreement addresses long-standing issues of oppression, discrimination, and marginalization. This acknowledgment has allowed the Bangsamoro people to shape their socio-political future according to their faith, identity and aspirations.
He noted that since the establishment of BARMM, the region has experienced substantial progress. Poverty incidence has decreased from 55.9 percent in 2018 to 34.8 percent in 2023. Investments have surged, with ₱3.1 billion worth of investment recorded in 2023 alone, creating nearly 2,000 jobs.
In the first quarter of 2024, the chief minister reported that the region exceeded its annual investment target by 42 percent, registering ₱3.7 billion. The BARMM agriculture sector has also expanded, becoming the top fish producer and third-highest corn producer nationwide.
For her part, Sec Pangandaman acknowledged “that the entire success of BARMM is a fruit of collaboration—not only between the national government and the Bangsamoro Government but also with the assistance and cooperation of our friends from all over the world, especially Japan and the JICA.
Tsuge Yoshifumi, Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the "stability in Mindanao is essential for peace and prosperity not only for the Philippines but also in the Indo-Pacific region. State Minister Tsuge noted Japan's various efforts to support the Mindanao peace process over the past 20 years, and stated Japan’s intention to continue cooperation for the smooth establishment of the new autonomous government (Bangsamoro)."
Truly, the 10th anniversary of the CAB is not just a celebration of a groundbreaking peace agreement. More than anything else, it is a testament to what can be achieved through resilience, collaboration, and unwavering support from international partners like Japan.
As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said, the Bangsamoro peace process stands as a beacon of hope and a template for resolving conflicts worldwide. It reminds us that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of justice, development, and opportunity for all.
To the Japanese Government and its amazing people, Arigatou gozaimasu!
(Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., is the presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity.)