A few months before President Benigno Aquino III steps down from office, Malacañang on Sunday said it remains positive that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be passed with the help of all concerned concerned sectors.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said both the House of Representatives and the Senate are one with the Palace in pushing for the passage of BBL, which he said seeks to make Mindanao the “land of the promise.”
“Well, sila Senate President Franklin Drilon, sila Speaker (Feliciano) Belmonte ay kasama po natin sa pagtutulak po nitong Bangsamoro Basic Law. May pag-uusap po ‘yan, dumaan na po ‘yan sa committee po ni Senator Bongbong Marcos, so hopefully ma-i-discuss na po ‘yang BBL na po na ‘yan sa plenary din po,” Lacierda said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.
“May tinatawag po tayo sa Mindanao, it has always been described as the ‘land of promise.’ In fact, parati na pong tinatawag na ‘land of promise,’ nagiging permanent potential po. BBL seeks to make that permanent potential kinetic; ibig sabihin, hindi na po siya parating potential lang. BBL seeks to—is an affirmative action on the neglected part of Mindanao, which is the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao,” he added.
Lacierda said the BBL will reflect the administration’s mandate that “no one will be left behind” in progress.
“Itong Bangsamoro Basic Law, coming from the peace talks with the MILF and taking into consideration all the stakeholders of Muslim Mindanao—whether you are Muslim, whether you are Christian, whether you are Lumad—lahat po ng concern nandoon na po para matulungan po natin ang ARMM,” he said.
Noting that there will be no development without peace, Lacierda emphasized that the BBL is the key to lasting peace in Mindanao.
“So, again, we also hope that both the House and the Senate will discuss and debate on the Bangsamoro Basic Law and enact this bill into law. ‘Yan po ang ating nais na sana mangyari po para makatulong po tayo sa kapatid nating mga Muslim—mga Muslim, Christians, mga Lumad—doon sa area po ng Muslim Mindanao,” he said.