Reflecting on a Decade of Peace: A Look Back at the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro

 

In more than two scores of peace negotiations between the former rebels and the Government of the Philippines (GPH), the Bangsamoro people and the Filipinos as a whole hoped for a conflict-free Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Today, March 27, marks the 10th anniversary since the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), a milestone that showcases the resilience of the Bangsamoro and their ability to overcome challenges. Despite the progress, there have been hurdles along the way.

This peace agreement signifies more than just an end to conflict; it symbolizes a commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and understanding.

However, challenges remain, and the journey towards a truly peaceful region continues. Yet, amidst these obstacles, there is hope—a hope for a future where families no longer mourn the loss of innocent lives but instead celebrate the promise of a peaceful region. The CAB serves as a vital tool in addressing these ongoing challenges and fostering lasting peace in the Bangsamoro region.

The last of the peace agreements

The CAB is the final peace accord, signed in 2014 between the Republic of the Philippines and the ex-combatants, that ended several years of the armed struggle of the parties herein.

It aimed to strengthen and implement various peacebuilding interventions, including constant negotiations, consultations, and dialogues for the advancement of the region and the entire country.

Further, this agreement paved the way for the establishment of the BARMM, a new autonomous entity, in 2019 as stipulated under Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Since then, the Government of the Day and the National Government have never halted their initiatives to ensure the general welfare of the Filipinos, resulting in lifelong peace.

Significant Tracks of the Bangsamoro Peace Process

Under the peace accord, two important tracks are present—the political and the normalization tracks.

The former ensures meaningful self-governance for the Bangsamoro, leading to the creation of the BARMM as a new and democratic political entity, while the latter centers on the transformation of conflict-affected areas into peaceful and progressive communities, highlighting gradual normalization.

The Political Track

For the political track, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament has already enacted five of its seven priority legislations, namely: the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, Bangsamoro Civil Service Code, Bangsamoro Education Code, Bangsamoro Local Governance Code, and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

As per BTA Parliament’s Committee on Ways and Means, it was discussed on March 20 the actions to be taken moving forward regarding the proposed Bangsamoro Revenue Code (BRC), the regional legislative body’s sixth priority code.

According to the report, the Parliament anticipates the Code’s approval by October this year.

The Code is relevant in regulating the levy, assessment, and collection of taxes, fees, and charges within the Bangsamoro region.

Joining the BRC is the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Code, which is among the priority codes that are yet to be approved by the Parliament.

Also, 16 Bangsamoro female parliamentarians are represented at the BTA Parliament, promoting equal opportunities and women’s rights through meaningful self-governance as aligned with the 12th priority agenda of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, centered on the self-sustaining and inclusive development of Bangsamoro women.

The CAB is undoubtedly “pro-women”, emphasizing the crucial role of these female catalysts in sustaining the gains of the Bangsamoro.

“Bangsamoro women have become integral voices in peace agreements, shaping a narrative of enduring peace and security,” Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) Chairperson Bainon Karon said.

“Their intentional inclusion spans local borders to agreements with the MILF and MNLF, symbolizing a shared vision for a future where women play a pivotal role in shaping peace,” she added during her Nov. 28 State of the Bangsamoro Women Address (SoBWA) in this city.

Last year, on Nov. 9, the National Government-Bangsamoro Government Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) officially activated its seven mechanisms, which serve as the basis for all the Parliament’s laws and policies, including the ways the Executive Department implements them.

Under the BOL, the mechanisms include the Philippine Congress-Bangsamoro Parliament Forum (PCBFF), Intergovernmental Fiscal Policy Board (IFPB), Joint Body for the Zones of Cooperation (JBZJC), Intergovernmental Infrastructure Development Board (IFPB), Intergovernmental Energy Board (IEB), Bangsamoro Sustainable Development Board (BSDB), and the Council of Leaders (COL).

IGRB aims to coordinate and resolve intergovernmental relations issues between the national government and the BARMM through regular consultation and negotiation, vested under Section 2, Article VI of the BOL.

During its 17th meeting on Feb. 8, Mohagher Iqbal, IGRB co-chair, stressed that the strides made through effective and productive leadership ensured success in finding political solutions to the decades-long armed conflict in the region.

“While in many parts of the world, the most seasoned of political leaders are scrambling to end the wars in their midst, we, in the Philippines and the Bangsamoro, are reaping the fruits of our sincerity, mutual esteem, and determination to make the lives of our people better,” Iqbal underscored.

Likewise, IGRB Co-chair Secretary Amenah Pangandaman of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) stated that the concerted efforts of both parties, the National Government and the BARMM, resulted in making Mindanao exemplify peace and development in the entire Philippines.

“We will not leave our future vulnerable to threats that will undermine the developments that we have painstakingly pushed,” Pangandaman emphasized.

“We will continue to endeavor to turn Mindanao from a land of promise into a land of promises fulfilled,” she continued.

Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) and CM Ebrahim mentioned that they are “one” with the interventions on implementing the peace accords and uplifting the lives of the Bangsamoro people.

“We are acting with dispatch not because of the deadlines that we have set for ourselves but because people battered by war for years should not be denied their destiny to live in peace,” Pres. Marcos highlighted.

CM Ebrahim also underlined that the interim government stayed committed to bridging the gaps across sectors in the areas of education, economy, social services, and health.

He continued that the dedication to moral governance underpins the optimism in safeguarding the dividends of the peace process.

Both government leaders respectively urged the Government of the Day to fast-track all pending work and beat the deadlines set without compromising the integrity of the GPH-MILF peace agreement.

The Normalization Track

In November 2023, the Independent Third-Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) released its latest monitoring updates about implementing the peace agreement.

Launched in 2013, the TPMT oversees the implementation of the peace accords between the National Government and the MILF, including the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which promote transparency and peace advancements in the Bangsamoro region and the entire Philippines.

TPMT Chairperson Heino Marius stressed that efforts must be made toward the second track of the CAB as the transition draws to a close.

Fortunately, President Marcos granted amnesty on Nov. 24, 2023, to the ex-Moro rebels—the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), under Proclamation Nos. 405 and 406, consequential to the full implementation of the track.

This month, March 2024, the Senate adopted these proclamations after a series of rigorous interpellations before the Body’s 63rd plenary session.

Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity stated that the Senate’s concurrence to adopting the proclamations is a huge achievement in the continuing quest towards a just and lasting peace.

Galvez expressed, “Amnesty is an invaluable instrument for social justice, as it upholds the dignity of former rebels who have laid down their arms and returned to the folds of the law.”

Granting amnesty is tantamount to continuing the once-paused rendering of socio-economic services to the then-government foes.

On March 4, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the Department of Health forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to make vital health and medical services accessible to former Bangsamoro freedom fighters.

This health benefit aligns with the latter’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), a program that provides health assistance from the national government, available in public hospitals throughout the country.

Sec. Galvez mentioned that health and peace must go together, stressing that peacebuilding interventions continue alongside strengthening the provision of medical services to former combatants.

As of January 2024, a total of 26,145 combatants were already decommissioned, which equates to 65.36 percent of the total targeted number—40,000 individuals.

Reminiscing the CAB Signing Journey

CM Ebrahim recalled on March 22, during OPAPRU’s Peace Talk: Conversations on the Bangsamoro, the ‘positive changes’ brought about by the collective efforts of all the stakeholders and the gains obtained after the signing of the CAB ten years ago.

“This political settlement is in recognition of the legitimacy of the rights of the Bangsamoro to self-determination and in charting our own political future guided by our faith, our culture, our identity, and our love for our homeland,” said Ebrahim.

According to him, the noble task of serving the Bangsamoro is ceaselessly pushed through by collaborating with other peace champions.

“Our narrative is fueled by the aspirations of our people for a more comfortable and dignified life and the help of everyone: civil society organizations, academe, international government agencies and their programs for peace and development, the national government, and all peace advocates,” he stated.

The Chief Minister emphasized the need to mobilize public awareness, specifically by amplifying the success stories that transpired a decade after the signing of the peace agreement.

Ebrahim also continued that dialogues discussing key issues in development, security, and governance are “imperative” to mold the future and democratic procedures of the Bangsamoro.

“Sabi nga nila, malayo pa, pero malayo na ang ating narating sa ating paglayag tungo sa isang mapayapa at masaganang Bangsamoro,” he highlighted.

[As they say, there is still a long way to go; however, we have already come a long way in our journey to a peaceful and prosperous Bangsamoro.] (Johamin Inok/BIO)