TOKYO, JAPAN — Top officials of the Philippine, Japanese and Bangsamoro governments unanimously acknowledged the major strides made in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) ten years after the inking of the historic peace deal.

Speaking at a symposium commemorating the 10th anniversary of the CAB, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim highlighted the milestones achieved under the CAB.

The event, organized by the Japan International Cooperating Agency’s (JICA) Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development, gathered key peace stakeholders, including representatives from the Philippine, Japanese and Bangsamoro government, as well as members of the international development community, civil society and the diplomatic corps.

Historic recognition

“The CAB, signed after 17 years of negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, marks a historic recognition of the Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination,” Ebrahim noted in his keynote speech.

He emphasized that the landmark peace agreement addressed decades of oppression, discrimination, and marginalization, allowing the Bangsamoro people to shape their socio-political future according to their faith, identity, and aspirations.

Ebrahim highlighted the dual tracks of the CAB — the political/legislative track and the normalization track – as the main engines of the peace agreement.

The political track, which is embodied in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its interim government, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

The normalization track, on the other hand, focuses on reintegrating former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants into mainstream society, transforming once conflict-ridden communities into zones of peace and development, implementing transitional justice initiatives, and disbanding private armed groups, among others.

Economic and legislative achievements

Ebrahim pointed out that since the establishment of the BARMM in 2019, significant progress has been made in boosting the region’s economy, as evidenced by its poverty incidence which has dropped from 55.9% in 2018 to 34.8% in 2023.

“Our strategies to lift more families out of poverty continue to produce positive results,” he said.

According to Ebrahim, Investment in the region is on the rise, with P3.1 billion worth of investments recorded in 2023, creating 1,927 job opportunities for local residents.

On the legislative front, the BTA has, to date, passed 58 laws and 444 resolutions, including the Administrative Code, Education Code, Civil Service Code, Local Governance Code, and Electoral Code.

“The establishment of the Bangsamoro Government and other gains of the Bangsamoro Peace Process puts the BARMM in a position to eventually draw level in terms of development and be a concrete manifestation of a Bagong Pilipinas,” he said

A meaningful peace journey

For his part, Bangsamoro Member of Parliament and Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal reflected on the journey of the peace process between the Philippine Government and the MILF.

“We have witnessed remarkable progress toward achieving lasting peace and development in our region,” Iqbal stated.

“The transition to self-governance has brought about critical institutional reforms, including the formation of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and establishing vital regional agencies and offices,” he added.

Iqbal recognized the efforts of the Government of the Philippines in transferring its various properties and physical assets to the BARMM government, as well as supporting the continuous capacitation of the BARMM ministries such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Social Services and Development.

“The GPH has facilitated the entry of 396 qualified members of the MILF and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as patrolmen or patrolwomen in the Philippine National Police to serve the Bangsamoro region,” he noted.

Iqbal likewise expressed the MILF’s gratitude to the Japanese government for its pivotal role in supporting the Bangsamoro peace process and largely contributing to the region’s peace, development and stability.

“Japan has always been a big brother to us. In those trying times that we have nothing but a heart of stone and an arm with an iron fist, you were there for us,” Iqbal said.

Partnership based on trust

In his remarks during the symposium, Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuge Yoshifumi lauded Philippine government and JICA officials who have been instrumental in advancing the Bangsamoro peace process over the past decade.

Tsuge stressed that the stability of Mindanao is not only crucial for the peace and prosperity of the Philippines, but also for the broader Indo-Pacific region.

The state minister noted the various initiatives the Japanese government has undertaken over the past 20 years to help bring peace and development in the Bangsamoro and the rest of Mindanao.

Tsuge reaffirmed Japan’s strong commitment to supporting the national government peacebuilding efforts in the BARMM, particularly in ensuring the smooth establishment of the new autonomous Bangsamoro government.

A decade of peace

Meanwhile, Dr. Tanaka Akihiko, JICA President, reflected on the ten-year anniversary of the CAB, which marked a significant turning point in the pursuit of peace and development in the Bangsamoro people and the Philippines.

Tanaka praised the collaborative efforts between the National and Bangsamoro governments and its international partners, including JICA, in sustaining the momentum of the Bangsamoro peace process.

He highlighted the pivotal role that JICA has played after the signing of the CAB, particularly through the Seminar on Consolidation for Peace for Mindanao (COP6) held in Hiroshima in June 2014, which led to the signing of the Hiroshima Declaration,

“May this constant hope and firm commitment guide us as we continue to work together for a peaceful and prosperous BARMM,” Tanaka said.

Significant developments

OPAPRU Presidential Assistant Cesar Yano, chair of the Government of the Philippines emphasized the importance of maintaining the Bangsamoro peace process’s momentum, while at the same time, addressing emerging peace and security challenges.

Yano stressed the need for robust public support to maximize the gains made under the peace agreement, as he highlighted the role of international partners, particularly the Japanese government and JICA, in supporting the peace process.

“Ten years since the CAB was signed, the public has high hopes for a brighter, safer, and progressive Bangsamoro,” Yano said, adding, “Our challenge is to keep this promise for future generations.”

IGRB: Fostering intergovernmental collaboration

In her presentation during the forum, Budget and Management and Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman highlighted the significant progress that is taking place in the BARMM since the landmark agreement was signed a decade ago.

Pangandaman, who also serves as Co-Chair of the National and BARMM government Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB), underscored the importance of sustained efforts in ensuring peace and stability in BARMM.

According to the Budget Chief, the IGRB, which is tasked to foster relations between the Bangsamoro and National governments, has been instrumental in activating all seven mechanisms under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

This development, Pangandaman emphasized, ensures the “effective and constant consultation between the Bangsamoro and the National Governments in the fundamental aspects of governance.”

Increasing budget for BARMM

Pangandaman reported that the national government has “allotted JPY 2.35 billion (USD 16.0 million) under our proposed FY 2025 national budget, to be used exclusively for the implementation of the Normalization Program which aims to uplift the conditions of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, their families, and communities.”

She noted that the national government’s budget for the BARMM has increased by an average of 200 percent over the past decade, with a total of JPY 20.97 billion (USD 144.99 million) invested to date.

Pangandaman also extended her gratitude to Japan for its unwavering support to the Bangsamoro peace process.

“The entire success of BARMM is a fruit of collaboration—not only between the National Government and the Bangsamoro Government but also with the assistance and cooperation of our friends from all over the world, especially Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” she said.

Japan’s key contributions

In his presentation during the conference, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez Jr. lauded the Japanese government and JICA for their significant contributions to the Bangsamoro peace process.

“On behalf of the Philippine government, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Japanese government and JICA for the unwavering and generous support you continuously extended to the Bangsamoro peace process,” he stated.

Galvez recalled the time when Japan hosted the meeting between President Benigno Aquino and Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim way back in 2011, which restarted formal GPH-MILF peace negotiations.

This meeting, he said, would lay the foundation and pave the way for the signing of the CAB in 2014 after 17 years of peace negotiations between the parties.

CAB, a first in the history global peace efforts

Galvez underscored the significance of the CAB, describing it as the first comprehensive peace agreement in the world to be signed by a woman, Ms. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, the national government’s chief peace negotiator at that time.

He highlighted the significant milestones achieved since the CAB’s signing, which include, among others, the passage and ratification of the BOL in 2019 and the establishment of the BARMM.

Galvez also noted the extension of the BTA under the Marcos administration and the substantial financial support from the national government, including block grants amounting to around P400 billion and the Special Development Fund of P25 billion for socio-economic programs.

“Since the ratification of the BOL in 2019, we no longer saw any major conflict erupt similar to the scale of the Zamboanga and Marawi sieges,” Galvez remarked, citing the peace and stability brought by the agreement.

Ongoing support and future vision

Galvez also underscored the importance of continued support coming from its various peace stakeholders such as the private sector, local government units, and international partners like Japan.

In particular, he stressed the invaluable role of the security sector, academic institutions, and women in sustaining peace and development.

“The involvement of our academic institutions and women in the transformation of combatants, peace education, and social healing cannot be ignored,” he said.

Moving forward, Galvez reiterated the Philippine government’s commitment to the Bangsamoro peace process, quoting President Marcos Jr.’s who said: “The government will honor and fully comply with its remaining deliverables under these peace agreements.”

Full circle

National and Bangsamoro officials are united in their belief that the President Marcos Jr. will be able to bring to fruition all the commitments made by the national government under all signed Bangsamoro peace agreements, a process which was started by his father, the late President Ferdinand M. Marcos, Sr.

“For history students and longtime observers of the Bangsamoro peace process, you would know that one of the earliest attempts to find a peaceful solution to the armed struggle in Mindanao was by former President Ferdinand M. Marcos, Sr., wherein his administration signed the Tripoli Agreement in 1976 with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF),” Iqbal recalled.

“Therefore, it would be apt for the GPH-MILF peace process to conclude under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.,” he stressed.

For Murad, the establishment of the BARMM government is a dream come true for the Bangsamoro people.

“At times, the vision of a Bangsamoro Government seemed to be just wishful thinking because of the challenges and setbacks we have experienced along the way but Alhamdulillah, here we are, having this conversation as we prepare for the first parliamentary elections in the BARMM next year. In Shaa Allah,” he said.

For Galvez, he is confident that the Bangsamoro peace process will continue to move at an even faster pace under the leadership of President Marcos Jr. who is committed, more than ever, to realize the dream of his father for the people of the Bangsamoro.

“As evidenced by the track record of the Marcos administration, we believe that the Bangsamoro peace process will soar to greater heights, as the President has committed to bring greater peace, development and prosperity to our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters,” he said. ###