COTABATO CITY (November 1) — The national government’s peace adviser on Saturday, Oct. 31, told the new Bangsamoro government and Parliament that the success of the region’s transition will be judged by how well it delivers services to the people.
“The true measure of this historic transition will be how it improves lives, strengthens public trust, and builds a future where peace and development go hand in hand,” Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said in a statement.
Sarmiento congratulated Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and Parliament Speaker Amer Zaakaria Rakim, who lead the Parliament’s newly elected officers, and greeted the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on its inaugural session on Oct. 30.
He said the new leadership must prioritize programs and basic services for remote, underdeveloped and vulnerable communities.
“The crucial task now facing us is implementing governance, one that creates shared value,” he said.
Sarmiento, who spoke for OPAPRU and the Government of the Philippines Peace Implementing Panel, also called for unity among the region’s lawmakers. He urged Members of Parliament and regional leaders to bridge diverse perspectives and to nurture social cohesion, mutual respect and inclusive dialogue.
He said OPAPRU, under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., reaffirms the national government’s support for the Bangsamoro government as it shifts to regular parliamentary governance.
The peace adviser credited the security forces and joint peace mechanisms for the orderly proceedings.
The 80 Members of Parliament were elected in the Sept. 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections. Their term began at noon on Oct. 30 and runs until June 30, 2031.
