COTABATO CITY — Some of the Bangsamoro Parliament members introduced a bill in the plenary seeking to honor the valor of the Top 90 and Top 300 core members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The bill, which also seeks to recognize the important contribution of the “young brave men” in preserving the safety and well-being of the Bangsamoro people, was filed by Amir Mawallil, Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr., Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, Engr. Baintan Adil-Ampatuan, Sittie Shahara Mastura, Atty. Laisa Alamia, Engr. Don Loong, Rasul Ismael, and Abraham Burahan.

The Top 90 were composed of the BARMM’s various ethnolinguistic groups that questioned the socio-political landscape in Mindanao and sought to address social injustices against the Bangsamoro people.

In 1972, the MNLF’s Top 90 core members grew and recruited 300 young Muslims to join the group.

“It is strange, however, that until today one cannot find a fitting monument in the BARMM that would serve as a lasting memorial to these courageous men who fought to assert our rights and affirm our distinct historical identity and birthright from those who attempted to subdue it,” the bill’s explanatory read.

The authors said that the BARMM needs a memorial that will be visited and revered by all, particularly by the present and future generations.

They said that it is right to remember the heroism of the Top 90 and Top 300 core members, given the immense devotion they have displayed repeatedly.

Every Bangsamoro, the authors noted, should be educated about the lives and heroism of the said brave men to understand the fundamental principles for which they fought—freedom, justice, and autonomy.

“The Top 90 and 300 core members, the unsung champions of the Bangsamoro struggle, should be given proper recognition for the bravery they have manifested in continuously fighting for our rights,” the authors said in the explanatory note.

Under the proposed bill, the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of the Cultural Heritage (BCPCH), as the agency responsible for writing the Bangsamoro history and sustaining the BARMM’s cultural institutions and projects, is tasked to produce and publish the official names of the mentioned MNLF.

The proposed legislation also called for the construction of a regional monument, the organization of relevant activities and materials to the education sector, and the holding of an annual commemoration. (Publication and Media Relations Division)

*Originally published by the BTA-Publication and Media Relations Division (https://parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph/latest-news/bill-to-memorialize-the-bravery-of-mnlfs-top-90-and-300-core-members-now-on-plenary/)

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Parliament has proposed a measure that will strengthen the Bangsamoro Satellite Coordinating Offices, citing that it will increase operational effectiveness and reinforce the efficient government’s program implementation.

Bill No. 116 or Bangsamoro Satellite Coordinating Office Act of 2021 proposes to improve collaboration, coordination, management, and communication between the regional government and its component local government units.

The bill aims to ensure that the BARMM’s three sub-regions, South Western, North Central, and South Central Mindanao, have “full and effective participation” in developing and implementing the projects in the region.

It will function as the Chief Minister’s coordinating offices, providing advisory or consultative services on their respective sub-regions.

“The coordination between these areas as well as the different levels of the government in the region is essential to ensuring the protection of the general welfare of the Bangsamoro people,” authors wrote in their explanatory note.

BASCO, as mentioned in the bill, is expected to exercise the following powers and functions:

• To coordinate and evaluate the implementation of all programs and projects in the sub-region;
• To mandate the LGUs in submitting comprehensive local development plans, in coordination with their Local Planning Officer and Local Development Council;
• To establish linkages with the region’s LGUs in pursuing program development;
• To recommend the enactment of local ordinances and the enhanced implementation of local programs;
• To assist in the implementation of all cross-border regional projects along and within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region; and
• To promulgate rules and regulations and perform such other powers and functions necessary.

“Close cooperation and continuous dialogue between these regional actors will enable the Bangsamoro Government to make informed decisions and crucial changes in its implementation, if needed, and ultimately lead to responsiveness and efficiency,” they added.

Members of the Parliament Amir Mawallil, Engr. Baintan Ampatuan and Atty. Rasol Mitmug presented the bill in the plenary on Wednesday. (Publication and Media Relations Division)

*Originally published by the BTA-Publication and Media Relations Division (https://parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph/latest-news/parliament-bill-hopes-to-strengthen-barmms-satellite-coordinating-offices/)