Marcos urges BARRM execs to improve lives of constituents

PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday urged Bangsamoro officials to explore various programs and collaborations with different groups, including the national government, that would help improve the lives of the people in the region.

The President, during the opening of the 1st Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Local Legislative Assembly in Davao City, reaffirmed his administration’s support for the development and achievement of sustainable and peaceful self-governance in the region.

Marcos reiterated that any problem in Mindanao is a problem of the whole country or a “Philippine problem” that will be addressed by the whole nation.

He expects greater cooperation, coordination, and convergence between the national and BARMM governments on endeavors that would further develop the region, especially with the completed creation of the needed offices and structures in the region such as the local legislative assembly.

“The insights and initiatives that will transpire from this (assembly’s) discussion are crucial to our goal of achieving peace and progress in our nation and BARMM governments … As you use this platform to assess the challenges in the implementation of the Organic Act for the BARMM, (may) you also explore various collaborations that will improve the socio-economic condition of the Bangsamoro people,” he added.

Under Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the autonomous region shall have its own parliament along with city and municipal councils that would be in charge of crafting local legislation.

The local legislative bodies in BARMM encompass the provincial board and vice mayors, as well as the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) and Sangguniang Bayan (SB), totaling 67 provincial board members, 34 vice mayors and 1,206 councilors, alongside Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairs and the Alliance for Barangay Concerns (ABC) President who shall serve as ex officio SB members.

The launch of its first local assembly not only commemorates the sense of unity and empowerment fostered by the enactment of the BARMM Organic Law but also acknowledges the legitimacy of the Bangsamoro people’s cause, and upholds the rights of Muslim and tribal