Category: News

Bangsamoro Parliament approves education code

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Parliament approved on Tuesday the Bangsamoro Education Code, a measure that will provide for the establishment, management, and support of a complete and integrated quality education system in the Bangsamoro region.

By nominal voting, 61 Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) members voted in favor of the Cabinet Bill No. 70.

“As we continue our journey for peace and development, I don’t think there can be any landmark accomplishment that is worth celebrating than being able to establish the Bangsamoro Education Code,” BTA Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong said.

“It is about time that we have the kind of education we have always aspired for as Bangsamoro people. One that is comprehensive as it is integrated into an Education system in Bangsamoro,” he added.

BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal and Deputy Minority Leader Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr. defended the proposed bill in the plenary.

MP Iqbal said that the education code “is an embodiment of our aspiration for the Bangsamoro children to have a bright future.”

The bill upholds the Ministry’s advocacy of ‘No Bangsamoro child shall be left behind’, which aspires to embody the hopes and ideals of the Bangsamoro people for an inclusive, culture-based, effective, and sustainable education framework.

In crafting the code, he said, “we want a version that includes significant provisions that will enhance the Bangsamoro education system, protect the well-being and rights of our teachers, non-teaching staff, parents, and learners.”

The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), under the code, is in charge of formulating, planning, implementing, and coordinating policies, plans, programs, and projects in all learning systems within the Bangsamoro region such as formal and non-formal as well as supervising all public and private educational institutions.

Minister Iqbal emphasized that the code will allow the Ministry to effectively govern the education system in the Bangsamoro and set the strategic direction towards a balanced, accessible, and high standard educational structure.

The education code was introduced to the plenary in October last year. It is one of the six priority codes the interim government needed to pass during the transition period. 

The electoral, local government, and revenue codes are among the remaining codes on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which the BTA hopes to pass this year. (Publication and Media Relations Division, BTA)

*Originally published by the BTA-Publication and Media Relations Division (https://parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph/latest-news/bangsamoro-parliament-approves-education-code/)

BTA approves Bangsamoro Education Code

COTABATO CITY – After a rigorous eight-hour deliberation, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority unanimously approved Bill No. 70 or the proposed Bangsamoro Education Code (BEC) on third and final reading in a special session today. This shall be known as Bangsamoro Autonomous Act No. 18, the third priority legislation passed by the Parliament.

Vice Chairperson on the Committee on Basic, Higher, and Technical Education MP Rasol Mitmug on Tuesday assisted MP Mohagher Iqbal in answering queries from other Members of the Parliament during the Bangsamoro Education Code’s period of interpellation.

Responding to MP Amir Mawallil’s questions, he explained that students within the Bangsamoro will still take the National Achievement Test, although the region has been given powers for its own assessment of the students. Teachers within the Bangsamoro will still receive training from the Department of Education, but the Ministry on Basic, Higher, and Technical Education may also provide localized training for teachers.

On the integration of Bangsamoro history in the curriculum, MP Iqbal said that new textbooks and materials would still have to be made.

“Anything in the national system still applies to BARMM since our educational system is a subsystem of the national. As to specialization, our supervisors usually focus on jurisdictional area but now they will be focusing on subject matters. In every division there will be specialized supervisors,” Vice Chair Mitmug added on the query of MP Mawallil on strengthening teachers’ subject specialization.

MP Mitmug emphasized  that one of the objectives of the Code is the promotion and strengthening of school management citing Section 84, Chapter 6 of the legislation. The newly passed BEC shall cover and govern all education systems, whether formal, non-formal and informal, public and private learning institutions, in all levels, to be collectively referred to as the “Bangsamoro Education System”.

The BEC was filed and introduced by Minister Iqbal back in October last year and went through series of committee hearings and consultations for over six months.

Ebook launch: Parliamentary Rules

The Office of MP Rasol Y. Mitmug, Jr. launches its third ebook, this time on the Parliamentary Rules, Procedures, and Practices of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (Resolution No. 6).

This resource material lays out all the answers for frequently asked questions about the Bangsamoro Parliament, such as the duties and responsibilities of the Parliament officers, the Order of Business for regular sessions, and the process flow of how legislation is passed by the collegiate body.

We hope this will be an enlightening read for students, lawyers, and researchers, and a helpful tool for our fellow MPs and BTA staff, especially during plenary sessions.

e-Book Layout by: Deogracias A. Arellano / deoaaa@gmail.com

Download links:

BTA Parliamentary Rules (Resolution No. 6) EPUB | PDF

PAMANA 2021 PHOTO CONTEST

The Office of MP Rasol Mitmug Jr., in partnership with the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, in celebration of the National Heritage Month, presents PAMANA Photography Contest 2021: Upholding Bangsamoro Heritage and Identity. This competition provides platform to our visual storytellers in line with our objective to preserve the Bangsamoro heritage and raise awareness and appreciation among the younger generation on how enriched the culture is, and get a glimpse of what needs to be addressed in relation to our cultural heritage for potential social impact.

The Bangsamoro has a rich and fascinating history of cultural heritage with its distinctive traditions, artworks, craftmanship, entrepreneurial spirit and cultural diversity—making part of their identity and authenticity. Preserving this culture amidst modernization is, indeed, a major challenge. Preserving this culture amidst modernization is, indeed, a major challenge. So we invite you to show us places and scenes that showcases Bangsamoro heritage. These may be photos of current-day historic sites, people engaging with historic themes, or simply landscapes that are connected to local history. Your photos may also feature nature, architecture, daily life, activities, traditions, challenges, Pilgrimage, Resilience, Landscape, Food, Migration or Art & Festivals. Capture a landmark from an uncommon angle, a familiar landscape at a unique moment, or people and objects that are often out of frame. You can be creative as you like.

Please read the guidelines and mechanics below, and register to join.


Upholding Bangsamoro Heritage and Identity

Submission Period:  April 30 – May 21, 2021

The photo contest aims to raise public awareness on the Bangsamoro’s rich cultural heritage and to promote discussion on how legislators/policymakers and the community can work together for its conservation and protection. This is also to gain insight on any sites which may need further recognition from appropriate government offices or agencies, or immediate attention from its respective LGU for intervention, etc.  

Three (3) Contest Categories 

  1. Tangible Local Cultural Heritage
  2. Intangible Local Cultural Heritage
  3. Natural Heritage

Prizes

The prizes for the Best Photos are as follows:

Grand Prize: P10,000

2nd Place: P8,000

3rd Place: P3,000

People’s Choice Award: P5,000

 

Timeline:

Photo Submission Period: From April 30, 2021 to May 21, 2021

Uploading of Shortlisted Photos for Public Voting (People’s Choice):  From May 25 to May 29, 2021

Notification of Winners: June 1, 2021

Awarding Ceremony/Event: June 4, 2021

 

Mechanics:

Contest Rules, Terms and Conditions

Contest Period:  The contest website will be open to accept entries from Friday, 30 April, 2021.  The deadline for submissions will be Friday, 21 May 2021 at 11:59 pm.

Background:  The Bangsamoro has a rich and fascinating history of cultural heritage with its distinctive traditions, artworks, craftsmanship, entrepreneurial spirit and cultural diversity—making part of their identity and authenticity. Preserving this culture amidst modernization is, indeed, a major challenge.

Contest Categories.  The photo contest will have four thematic categories.

  1. Tangible Local Cultural Heritage—The photograph should show either movable cultural heritage (paintings, sculptures, clothing/ textiles, accessories, literature, crafts, etc.) or immovable cultural heritage (monuments, archaeological sites, architecture such as buildings, houses, and structures, underwater ruins, etc.) within the five (5) provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region: Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, including Cotabato City and the 63 barangays in North Cotabato. It may also highlight how said heritage is being maintained or preserved through either government initiative or individual and/or community efforts.
  2. Intangible Local Cultural Heritage— The photograph should be a portrait of a Bangsamoro (a person or people) hailing from the five (5) provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region: Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, including Cotabato City and the 63 barangays in North Cotabato who has extensive knowledge of intangible local cultural heritage (such as oral stories, , oral poetry, values, laws, norms, rituals, traditions, dances, songs, myths, beliefs, superstitions, and other various forms of traditional knowledge). 
  3. Natural Heritage—The photograph should depict natural sites with cultural aspects such as cultural landscapes, physical, biological or geological formations within the Bangsamoro region (such as private and publicly protected natural areas, zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens, natural habitat, marine ecosystems, sanctuaries, reservoirs, etc.).

How to Join:

  1. Visit: https://rasmitmug.com/main/pamana-2021-photo-contest/
  2. Read the Mechanics
  3. Agree to the Terms and Conditions
  4. Fill-up Submission Form
  5. Like and follow our FB page to get updates: http://fb.com/AttyRasMitmug

Mechanics:

Your Photograph.  The photos should have been taken personally by the contestant in the Bangsamoro.   Each contestant can submit as many entries as they like, but each entry must be in a separate submission.  Below are other specifications for the photograph:

  • All digital files submitted must be no larger than 10MB.
  • All photos must be in JPEG or PNG format.
  • The photograph should not have been previously published electronically (online) or in print.
  • Photographs that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization will not be accepted. Only minimal adjustments are allowed (contrast, sharpness, burning/dodging, cropping and color correction).
  • No watermarks, copyright units or logos are allowed.
  • If the photograph focuses on an individual, a family or an organization, the contestant should obtain the consent in writing to the public release of the photograph from the individual, family or organization.
  • No entries using advertising or offensive images, or those that violate laws will be allowed.
  •   The judges or contest administrators will disqualify or exclude any photos that they deem inappropriate.
  • Images not complying with these parameters will be disqualified. The judges reserve the right to ask for unedited/raw images.
  • The judges may choose not to award a prize in a category if the entries do not meet the standards of the competition.

Copyright.  By submitting a photograph to the competition, the contestant (a) grants the organizers of the competition rights to edit, use and publish the photograph, and (b) certifies that using the photograph will not infringe on any privacy, copyright or other intellectual property rights of third parties.

Submission of Entries:  Each submission must comply with the following requirements.

  1. Photograph should include:
    1. your personal details:
      1. name, 
      2. email address, and/or
      3. mobile number; 
    2. the Contest Category the photograph is being entered in; 
    3. the location where the photo was taken (barangay; city or municipality) and month and year when the photograph was taken
    4. a caption/short description that conveys a compelling message (maximum of 100 words) of the photograph in English or the local dialect, including details of when, where, what; and
  2. Entry is free and open to photographers, both amateur and professional, who are residents of the Philippines.  No group entries are permitted.  Non-Filipinos are welcome to join the contest, but they must be legal residents of the Philippines and captured photos in the Philippines.  The photographer should have a valid national ID or international passport for verification purposes during claiming of prizes.
  3. By submitting an entry, the contestant agrees to all of the competition rules and conditions (See Terms and Conditions)
  4. Any officer, executive, or employee of the above-listed partner organizations, and their immediate family members, as well as any person involved in the selection process for this photo competition, are not eligible to join the contest 

Selection Process: 

In selecting the winners of the photo contest, there will be several stages:

Stage Process 
1st PRELIMINARY SCREENING In each of the three contest categories, the 20 best entries will be identified by a Screening Committee constituted by the Contest Organizing Staff. Screening will be based on the compliance of the author and the photo in the Terms and Conditions.   The top 20 entries in each category will go on to the next stage of the competition.
2nd SELECTION OF CATEGORY WINNERS

A Category Judging Panel (3 members) will be convened for each contest category from among the partner organizations; each Category Judging Panel will decide on the top three entries in the category and their respective ranking, from among the 20 entries submitted for review.  The first-ranked entry in each category will be considered as the category winner and will proceed to the final round of selection.  

Criteria:

  • Adherence to the category theme (20%);
  • The ability of the photograph to convey a compelling message to stakeholders and/or policy makers (45%); and
  • The composition, clarity and quality of the photograph (35%). 
3rd SELECTION OF OVERALL WINNERS

The three category winners will then be evaluated and rated by the Overall Judging Panel (3 members) based on a new set of criteria (see below). The scores given by the 3 judges will determine the final ranking of the photos and the winners of the three cash prizes.

Criteria: 

  • Content and relevance to the theme (35%);
  • Artistic value and communication potential, social impact of the image (35%);
  • Technical excellence and quality (30%).
4 SELECTION OF PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER Shortlisted photos will also have a chance to win the “People’s Choice Award” based on the most number of public votes (‘likes’). Photographs competing for this award will be posted on the official page, tagging the user who submitted. 

The winners of the competition will be notified by email no later than 1 June 2021.  An event will be scheduled shortly thereafter to announce the winner of the competition.

Refer to the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and FAQs:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1TePtnBI9ZOEZYwBZyB9E5Iz6Ly0_JC6t

Submission Form: https://pamana.rasmitmug.com

 

 

BTA publishes code on civil service

Photo courtesy by: BTA Parliament

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority published the Bangsamoro Civil Service Code on March 30, 2021 following its approval earlier on February 24, 2021.

The code, published in Mindanao Expose’ (pp. 5-29), a local newspaper, seeks to “provide an effective instrument for good governance and responsive policies on human resource administration of BARMM while addressing the legitimate needs and peculiarities of our people.”

It is among the priority legislation the parliament needs to pass within the transition period mandated under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

You may download the e-copy here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Usz3WMsKb_tJCiUDynInYy0L2tSqO80a/view?fbclid=IwAR0XjPXv6EqHV2eyHKKnWS4-PnpgFuX_Y_7n5lLwU3yH3eJM45EheLMQ6ok