Photo by Morsid Kadir
DAVAO CITY— The Bangsamoro Government through its Council of Leaders is optimistic to ensure a peaceful and honest Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSK).
The advisory council made this public statement after it held its general meeting on Wednesday, August 9, in Davao City.
“The Council agreed to convene the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) specifically to avoid any unwanted violence and to sustain the peace and public safety leading to 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSK),” the released statement said.
“Furthermore, the Council agreed to strengthen coordination between the Bangsamoro Government and Local Government Units (LGUs) through the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) in order to rationalize and harmonize the planning and implementation of programs, projects, and activities,” the statement added.
Composed of representatives from various sectors and stakeholders, the council shall advise the Chief Minister on matters of governance in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. This is stipulated in Section 9, Article VI of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) — the enabling law of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The RPOC chaired by Chief Minister Ebrahim is vital in maintaining the safety of the general public as it engages both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other sectors in all its peace efforts.
While there have been concerns from various officials regarding the upcoming election, the Bangsamoro Government through the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) is working closely with other government institutions as part of the preparation.
On August 2, the MILG joined the Commission on Election (COMELEC) on its election-related forum held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City.
Sustaining peace and improving peace, justice, and security across the Bangsamoro region is one of the 12-point priority agenda of the regional government.
In the same meeting of the Chief Minister’s advisory council, they also extended their appreciation to the national government for its unwavering support to the Bangsamoro Peace Process.
The council specifically thanked the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and his cabinet members who showed their support to the council meeting: Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., represented by Presidential Assistant David Diciano of the Office for Bangsamoro Transformation, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez represented by Deputy Speaker Hon. Kristine Singson-Meehan.(Abdullah Matucan/BIO)
