COTABATO CITY— The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is set to kick-off the week-long celebration of its third foundation anniversary on Monday, January 17, at the Bangsamoro Government Center in this city.
“Changing People’s Lives, Transforming the Bangsamoro: Celebrating and Sustaining the Gains of Peace and Moral Governance” is this year’s theme which highlights the breakthroughs of the regional government in achieving peace and development, and reforming the Bangsamoro for the past three years.
With observance of strict health standards, a short program will be held outside the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) building wherein CM Ahod Ebrahim, Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua, and Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong are expected to deliver their speeches.
Wali of the Bangsamoro Sheik Khalifa Nando will also bang a gong to officially commence the week-long celebration.
Only a limited number of guests and employees are requested to attend Monday’s ceremony — two (2) attendees per Member of the Parliament, five (5) per Ministry, three (3) per Commission, and three (3) attendees per attached office of the OCM.
During the ceremony, the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) will turn over its Special Development Fund to some beneficiaries, while the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) will award its Overseas Bangsamoro Workers beneficiaries.
For the whole week, each of the ministries of the BARMM have prepared several activities to join the celebration.
To name a few, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform will open its MAFARlengke (MAFAR Local Exchange and Network of Goods in any Kind of Emergency); the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources,and Energy (MENRE) will distribute land titles and conduct clean-up drives; Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT) will hold free business registration; Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) will conduct community-based training on mediation and values transformation; and Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MIPA) will distribute educational financial assistance to elementary students.
As stated in the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, January 21 is proclaimed as the Bangsamoro Foundation Day and declared a non-working holiday “in celebration of the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, which shall be celebrated in recognition of the dreams and aspiration of the people to chart their social, political, cultural and economic destiny in exercise of their right to self-determination.”(Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
