Tubod, Lanao del Norte — Representatives of the youth sector, religious sector, and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Lanao del Norte urged the House of Representatives to pass the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) version of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The groups made the appeal during the 3rd leg of the out-of-town public consultations spearheaded by the Joint Committees on Local Government, Muslim Affairs, and Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity of the Lower House held here on Thursday, March 15.

Acmad Guro, representative of Imams in the Municipality of Matungao, said the BBL is the “win-win solution to the Bangsamoro problem.”

He also said the passage of the proposed measure is not tantamount to establishing a separate government.

“Hindi ho kami hihiwalay sa ating republika. Ibalik lang sana sa ang nawala sa amin sa pamamagitan ng BBL,” he said.

One of the issues the proposed BBL seeks to address is the forced acquisition of land properties of Muslims and Lumads dating back to the Philippine colonial era.

Aliodin Mica, youth organization leader from the Municipality of Munai, lauded the BTC version of the proposed bill for recognizing the rights of the youth.

“Nakalagay dito iyong kailangan ng mga kabataan ngayon,” he said while raising a copy of the draft bill.

The League of Bangsamoro Organizations (LBO), a network of more than 60 civil society organizations accross Mindanao, said it regards the BTC version as “the concrete roadmap to pave way for genuine and lasting prosperity in the Bangsamoro.”

“This will give justice to the people who have long been suffering the bitter pill of the decades-old armed conflict in Mindanao,” Emram Mohamad said on behalf of the LBO.

The proposed BBL, which was drafted by the 21-member Bangsamoro Transition Commission appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte, seeks genuine autonomy and is set to address the political marginalization and historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro. This version has been adopted by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez when he sponsored this as House Bill No. 6475.

The Joint Committees of the Joint Committees on Local Government, Muslim Affairs, and Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity are now holding committee meetings to finalize a substitute bill considering the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro entered into by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014 and the results of the public consultations and hearings. ###