JOLO,  SULU –  Students coming from different colleges in this island province said they are ready to support the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)  in whatever capacity to advance their welfare and interest for the future Bangsamoro government.

“This is our chance to bring positive change to our homeland,” Alfadzni Haddimah, a third-year college student of Mindanao State University (MSU) of Sulu, said referring to the passage of the proposed bill.

“BBL is the sole key for the Bangsamoro homeland to achieve peace. This will now lead to development and unity of the Bangsamoro people, ” he added.

Haddimah also called for the youth to proactively participate as peace advocates.

Haddimah is one of the 53 students coming from Sulu State College, MSU, Sulu College Technology, Inc., Hadji Butuan School of Arts and Trades, and Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute who participated in a forum dubbed “Conversation with the Youth on the Bangsamoro Basic Law” initiated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) on Thursday, February 22, 2018.

The event coincided with the House of Representatives’ public hearing on the BBL in the town of Luuk.

Another MSU student, Alnazer Tumakber, said it is their hope that the BBL will bring peace and development in Sulu.

“The implementation of the BBL will bring peace because there will be normalization. Kung walang BBL, the struggle will continue. It has been there for more than 50 years, and we need to address the problem politically,” he said, adding that it “will bring development in our homeland.”

He said the youth could now be “more participative” with the parliamentary-form Bangsamoro government.

“Since we have a (sectoral representation) seat, we can voice out our welfare and interest. We can now implement it,” he noted.

Tumakber said the BBL will give the youth a more productive participation.

“This will bring equal opportunities for all. As of now, may tawag tayong ‘palakasan’ system. That will be eradicated,” he shared.

Under the bill, the youth will have a seat as sectoral representation in the Bangsamoro government.

During the forum, Bangsamoro Transition Commissioner Atty.  Omar Sema said that aside from having a sectoral seat, the BBL has provision that will create a Commission for Youth Affairs.

“To ensure all their concerns will be taken care of and addressed by (the youth) themselves,” he said.

Sema noted that there is a need for the youth to fully understand the content and purpose of the BBL because they will inherit the Bangsamoro government.

“BBL is a legislation of transcendental importance. This will affect the future generations,” he said.

“We put all the ingredients in the BBL: genuine good governance, inclusivity, fiscal autonomy, and wider democratic participation,” he said, referring to the provisions of the BBL.

Sema challenged the youth to spread the correct information about the BBL “by echoing the benefits of the bill.”

Akhmad Ishak, also a student, said there are lots of “benefits we can get from the BBL to improve the Moro nation.”

“When it comes to parliamentary, it will lead to good governance,” he said, adding that the “Bangsamoro government will give an opportunity for the youth to be heard.”

“We can contribute new ideas to promote solution to the problems in the society,” he noted.

Aldhaizem Ayub, a student of Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute, said, “We are very much open on what help we can do to enhance BBL.”

The participants are members of student councils, clubs, and other youth organizations.

The forum aims to give the students opportunity to raise clarifications on their role in the future Bangsamoro government.

Same forum is also scheduled in the island provinces of Basilan today and in Tawi-Tawi this coming March.