Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
SOME colleagues and relatives have asked me recently about the progress of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) transition government. With a pessimistic tone, a friend also raised the following question: "Is it going to be another failed experiment like the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)?" My frequent replies to these queries are: The region is OK, it's moving forward, and I am optimistic that it will succeed in meeting its goals and agenda of establishing the necessary structures, legislation, policies and programs when its three-year extension period ends, in time to participate peacefully and democratically in the country's next national and local elections in May 2025. I have some evidence that supports my optimism.
A law (Republic Act 11593) was signed in October 2021 by then-president Rodrigo extending the term of Bangsamoro's transition government from June 2022 to May 2025. The extension was largely attributed to the unexpected deleterious effects of Covid-19 on all social institutions and on the people's mobility in the region, which resulted in the non-completion of many commitments and important legislations, especially the electoral code, which is crucial in holding the first election of parliament members in May 2022.
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