Marcos to new Bangsamoro MPs: Serve with humility, good governance

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President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday called on the newly elected members of the Bangsamoro parliament to serve the people with humility and honor those who fought for peace through good governance.

This, as the President attended the inaugural session of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliament at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City.

Marcos said that the first session of the BARMM parliament is not just a victory for Mindanao, but the entire country.

“For decades, generations wondered if this day would ever come. Today, we welcome the inaugural session of the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament. This formally ends the seven-year transition under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and marks the beginning of the region’s first regular parliamentary government,” he said.

“Truly, this is a victory for our Bangsamoro brethren. It is a victory for Mindanao. It is a victory for the entire Filipino nation,” he added.

The President also noted that the event serves as a milestone in the peace process between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), “marking the transition from armed struggle to peaceful democratic governance.”

He however, acknowledged that the path leading up to the conduct of the inaugural session was “long and painful,” with families suffering and losing loved ones during years of conflict.

Under the new phase of parliamentary governance, Marcos said leaders must uphold unity, statesmanship, and cooperation to build a more peaceful and progressive BARMM.

“A stable government means enacting laws and delivering programs and services responsive to the needs of the Bangsamoro people. It also means using public resources efficiently and transparently to create economic opportunities and strengthen regional development,” he explained.

“Above all, it means ensuring that the dividends of peace are felt in the daily lives of every Bangsamoro family,” he continued.

Marcos also committed that the national government will continue to expand economic opportunities for Mindanao, and will continue to support the Bangsamoro autonomy and democratic institutions.

“To the people of the Bangsamoro, the national government stands with you. Your success is the success of the country. Hinding-hindi namin kayo pababayaan (we will never abandon you),” the President said.

The BARMM held its first parliamentary elections on September 14, with a final voter turnout of 84.34%, representing 2,018,478 voters out of the region’s 2.393 million registered voters.

The 80 newly elected Parliament members assumed office today, October 30, and are set to elect the region’s chief minister. The first elected officials will serve a five-year term until June 30, 2031.

Under Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the Parliament will elect the Chief Minister by a majority vote of at least 41 of its 80 members. The Chief Minister will lead the regional government and advance its development priorities, subject to parliamentary oversight. — RSJ, GMA News