READ| Message of Deputy Speaker Atty.Laisa Masuhud Alamia

Assalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) carries the weight of a struggle that has been waged for centuries – one that continues to this day as we collectively build a region where just and lasting peace is a reality for all. 

This theme for this year’s BARMM’s founding anniversary – Sama-samang Pagtataguyod sa Mas Mapayapa at Mas Masaganang Bangsamoro – echoes our shared responsibility and collective desire for peace and development in the region. Throughout the past three years, the regional government has taken important steps toward conflict transformation and has reaped the gains of the ongoing peace process.

As we move forward, the BARMM regional government continues to be steadfast in its commitment to moral governance and public service. Together with the national government, it has made significant headway in the ongoing political transition. The Bangsamoro Parliament, for one, has passed a number of priority bills and continues to conduct consultations in Bangsamoro communities to ensure genuine representation for the Bangsamoro people. 

The regional government at the helm of the BARMM is not merely made up of appointees and career officials in government. Government and leadership rings empty without the genuine participation of the public we seek to serve, and our office will continue to advocate for open and safe spaces where every Bangsamoro can speak of their struggle with confidence, push for their community’s agenda with a sense of ownership, and engage the regional government in exacting accountability – embodying the spirit of our shared responsibility towards each other, the ummah, and Allah as we build just and lasting peace in the region.

Happy Bangsamoro Foundation Day!