COTABATO CITY – Members of the minority bloc of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) filed a resolution on Thursday expressing the full support of the regional law-making body for the national government’s “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa” (BP2) program.
The BTA minority bloc expressed its support for BP2 before the resumption of the Bangsamoro parliament session on June 16. The legislative body earlier suspended its sessions for the month-long fasting period of Ramadan that commenced on April 24.
“In anticipation of the people returning to Bangsamoro region areas under the BP2, a concrete development framework plan should be formulated by the Bangsamoro government in cooperation with the parliament,” the minority bloc said.
The group pointed out that the BP2 program is consistent with Section 7, Article IV of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which provides that the Bangsamoro government “shall ensure that every Filipino citizen in its territorial jurisdiction shall be provided with basic necessities and equal opportunities in life.”
With BARMM in place as established in the Bangsamoro Organic Law, as well as its vast resources and potential, the bloc said the Moro people living in the National Capital Region and urban areas may opt to return to the Bangsamoro region.
On May 6, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 114 institutionalizing the program to decongest Metro Manila amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and for balanced regional development.
The program framework is divided into four key areas – empowerment of local industries; food security and agricultural productivity; social welfare, health, and employment; and the development of infrastructure.
The members of the BTA’s minority bloc include engineers Baintan Adil-Ampatuan and Don Loong; lawyers Laisa Alamia, Suharto “Teng” Ambolodto, and Rasul Mitmug Jr.; and opinion writer Amir Mawallil. (PNA)
*Originally published on Philippine News Agency (https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1104996)