PEACE BY PEACE
According to the Great Man Theory, “Leaders are born, not made.” The theory suggests that individuals are either born with or without the inherent qualities that are necessary for great leadership.
I, however, respectfully beg to disagree. While some individuals may exhibit early signs of leadership potential, true leadership is often forged through experience, vision, and the ability to navigate challenges. Even with outstanding skills and knowledge, a leader's capacity to articulate and execute his or her vision will ultimately define the legacy that individual will leave behind.
Newly-appointed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua may belong to this category of leaders because of the outstanding leadership he had demonstrated even at an early age. His success is likely a product of both his inherent potential and his developed abilities, rather than solely innate talent.
CM Macacua, who was sworn in by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. two weeks ago as the Interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro transition government, has been fighting for the Bangsamoro’s people’s right to self-determination for more than five decades.
As a young boy, he recalled cleaning the shoes of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari and doing other errands for leaders of the organization, tasks which taught him the value of humility, discipline and hard work.
When he turned 14, he joined the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), as he rose up the ranks of the organization to become the chief-of-staff of its military wing, the MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), a position he holds to this day.
It was his prowess as a high-ranking military commander that enabled him to play a key role in the crucial stages of the peace process between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF as he became a member of the peace negotiating panel.
Upon the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the landmark peace deal between the GPH and MILF, and subsequently, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), CM Macacua did what every good leader does in the face of change --- evolve.
His capacity to effectively adapt to emerging realities in the peace and security front enabled the grizzled MILF fighter, who then carried the nom de guerre Sammy Gambar, to make the seamless transition to becoming a public servant.
While some MILF leaders, especially those who spent years in the trenches, initially struggled to reintegrate into mainstream society and assume positions in the Bangsamoro government, CM Macacua was able to do so with ease and grace.
The first post he held was Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE), wherein he led the BARMM government’s efforts to address deforestation while promoting the sustainable management of the region’s resources.
It was during his term as minister of MENRE that he launched the Bangsamoro Urban Forest for Ecological Restoration (BUFFER) Project, which focused on urban reforestation, climate adaptation and environmental protection.
His other major accomplishments as MENRE minister were his efforts to address bureaucratic red tape, which enabled the Bangsamoro government to boost the region’s mining industry and earned hundreds of millions in revenues - making the MENRE the first agency to produce such income for the regional bureaucracy, just months after the BARMM was established.
Due to his excellent performance in MENRE, he was named as the senior minister of the BARMM, the second-highest official of the regional government who was tasked to assist the chief minister in overseeing the major affairs of governance, administration, and policy implementation.
As the right hand of the chief minister, his work focused on ensuring that moral governance was entrenched into the bureaucracy, overseeing institutional reforms, and most importantly, helping shepherd the MILF-led interim government during the critical transition period.
He was also designated as the “trouble-shooter” of the chief minister, who was assigned to look into pressing issues and concerns affecting the Bangsamoro government and find ways to address them.
And in April 2023, President Marcos Jr. appointed him as the OIC governor of the newly-created province of Maguindanao del Norte, and re-appointed as the full-fledged governor on April 28, 2023.
Being the acting governor of Maguindanao del Norte was not a walk in the park, as he was confronted with the urgent and crucial task of establishing the foundations of governance in the fledgling province.
Known for confronting challenges head-on, CM Macacua hit the ground running. He was also able to unite the 12 mayors of the province, leading them in efforts to institute governance reforms, enhance public service delivery, and help improve relations between the BARMM and national governments.
Having held key positions in the Bangsamoro government, he knew exactly what had to be done at the provincial level, as he prioritized the implementation of infrastructure development, disaster resilience, and socioeconomic programs.
In his more than six years of being a civil servant and decades as a top MILF leader, what has made CM Macacua really stand out as a leader is his ability to act as a unifying force among his people and rally them behind a collective vision.
And because of his close ties with Chair Misuari, he has been able to help strengthen the relations between the MILF and MNLF, enabling both groups to work together in the BTA to uplift the lives of the Bangsamoro people.
Although he heads the MILF-BIAF, considered to be one of the fiercest armed groups during the height of the organization’s decades-long armed struggle, he has led with integrity, empathy, and compassion, garnering the respect and loyalty of his people.
There is no doubt that CM Macacua will be more than capable of handling the critical task entrusted to him by President Marcos Jr., and that is, to hold the fort and lead the Bangsamoro government until the conduct of the first regional parliamentary elections in the BARMM.
The upcoming Bangsamoro elections will be another major milestone in the Bangsamoro peace process. It will be the start of a new and exciting chapter for the region and its people who are now reaping the dividends of peace and development.
After administering CM Macacua's oath of office, President Marcos, Jr. posted on social media, ''We look forward to Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua leading the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in building on the progress we've made in BARMM.''
“His leadership comes at a crucial time as we prepare for the region’s first parliamentary elections—ensuring a smooth transition and a stronger future for the Bangsamoro people,'' the President underscored.
With CM Macacua at the helm of the BARMM government, we are confident that the Bangsamoro peace process will continue to move forward and gain momentum as the region moves closer toward its long-held aspiration of gaining full autonomy.