President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday
(Nov. 6) said that Mindanao is “on the cusp of a profound transformation,"
as he cited the major developments in the region.
The 2014 Philippines Development Forum on
Bangsamoro in Davao City, President Aquino said the people of Mindanao had been
deprived of opportunities and had suffered injustice for many years.
“Now, however, as Mindanao is becoming an
increasingly stable environment, we can see that the region is on the cusp of a
profound transformation: from being a Land of Promise to being a Land of
Promises Fulfilled,” he said.
The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in
March this year.
“Now, more than ever, it is vital that we focus
on getting through the next steps in the process: Getting the Bangsamoro Basic
Law passed in Congress, which would establish the Bangsamoro as a political
entity,” he said.
Last September, President Aquino submitted the
final draft of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to Congress.
“At this point, I believe all of us are
duty-bound to make our voices heard. Please talk to your representatives so
that we can pass a bill that truly represents the interests of all, and
benefits all of the people,” he
said.
President Aquino also enumerated some of the
major institutional reforms in Mindanao, including the synchronization of the
elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the national
elections.
“It laid the foundations for change by forcing
those running for office to contend with one another on a level playing field,”
he said.
“In effect, it puts an end to the abuse of
elections by national and local leaders alike, and to the mindset that ARMM
communities were mere vote banks that one could sell to the highest bidder
during national elections,” he added.
He noted that through the Sajahatra Bangsamoro
Program, the government is improving the living conditions of several
Bangsamoro communities by offering cash for work, technical vocational
training, study grants, and health insurance premiums.
“We are confident that the Bangsamoro
Development Plan can be harmonized through these efforts, and build on the
progress we have made at the soonest possible time,” he said.
“The development boost we want to give to
Mindanao likewise includes investments in infrastructure, which is necessary
for the region to become a competitive destination for investments,” he said.
He cited that from 2011 to 2014, the Department
of Public Works and Highways has spent nearly a hundred billion pesos for
roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects in Mindanao. (PCOO News
Release)
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