COTABATO CITY–The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government has granted a 10-year-old Bangsamoro chess master an educational scholarship, vowing to provide financial assistance for his training and future matches.

“One of the goals of the Bangsamoro Sports Commission [BSC] is to develop young and dynamic athletes in the BARMM as they have these gifted talents to represent its people,” Mitmug said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mitmug said that Buto, who belongs to a Maranao family currently based in Cainta, Rizal with his family, is the first and youngest Bangsamoro master chess player.

The regional government also promised to support Buto in future national and international competitions, he added.

On Tuesday, the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the lawmaking body of the BARMM, passed Resolution No. 356 commending Buto for his outstanding feats in both national and international chess championships.

Buto has participated in more than 100 chess tournaments since the age of five and has reaped awards in various competitions, including a gold medal in the 13th Asian Schools Chess Championship in China in July 2017.

He also received three individual and two team gold medals for the overall crown in the 8th Asean Age-Group Chess Championship in Malaysia, and a trophy at the National Group Chess Championship in Cebu in the same year.

Lawyer Omar Yasser Sema, another BTA member, underscored the importance of extending support to athletes “to retain them and avoid what has happened in the past athletes” who left the country due to lack of support.

BTA member Jose Lorena, also a lawyer, said BARMM should also provide incentives to its athletes “especially those who win in the international field.” (PNA)

*Originally published on Philippine News Agency (https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133925)

MANILA – Members of Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) have filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, which once enacted shall be known as the “Bangsamoro Freedom of Information Act of 2021.”

BTA Bill 83 contains provisions similar to the proposed FOI Act (House Bill 05776) pending in Congress.

It is an effort of the Bangsamoro government to harmonize with President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order on FOI and Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s call for moral governance and to provide a local mechanism that upholds people’s right to information.

By adopting a policy of transparency, the Bangsamoro government foresees increased public trust and empowerment of the Bangsamoro.

The bill directs all offices in the Bangsamoro government to make accessible to the public all official and public records and information unless otherwise stated in the exceptions and by present laws and jurisprudence.

Consequently, the Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO) shall establish an online FOI portal so people may conveniently and efficiently access government information.

BICTO will also be designated to monitor the websites of offices and provide them with capacity-building programs to make sure they comply with the policy’s requirements.

The bill also mandates the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) to be the FOI Focal Office. BIO shall oversee the implementation of the bill, including the composition of an FOI Manual, identification of an FOI Receiving Officer per office, and establishment of a request tracking system.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), as the lead implementer of the FOI Program, recognizes this new development as vital to its vision of a whole-of-government approach in enforcing transparency in public service and crucial to the institutionalization of the Bangsamoro government.

PCOO Undersecretary and FOI Program Director Kristian R. Ablan said the FOI Project Management Office is willing to extend its assistance to BTA in terms of capacity-building activities for FOI implementers.

The bill was introduced by MP Amilbahar S. Mawallil and MP Engr. Baintan A. Ampatuan, and co-authored by MP Atty. Laisa Masuhud Alamia, MP Atty. Suharto M. Ambolodto, MP Engr. Don Mustapha A. Loong, MP Rasul E. Ismael, and MP Atty. Rasol Y. Mitmug, Jr. (PR)

*Originally published on Philippine News Agency (https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133690)