COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN) Inc., launched a Teleradyo Program dubbed as “Kaunlaran  sa Bangsamoro” last September 4, 2021 in its office studio at Jamiat Cotabato Institute of Technology in this city.

The BMN Executive Director, Faydiyah Akmad, MAIS said that the teleradyo program aimed at promoting the best stories, progress and developments in the Bangsamoro and milestones accomplishments of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Ang Kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro ay isang program na kung saan pag-uusapan natin kung ano yung mga improvements, developments, na nangyayari na sa Bangsamoro. Bakit? Dahil napakahalagang malaman ito ng maraming tao,” she said.

(Kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro is a program where we tackle improvements and developments that happen in the Bangsamoro. Why? Because it is important for people to know)

To deliver an accurate, reliable and true information to the general public on BARMM accomplishment is one of the goals of this program,” Akmad added.

According to Akmad, the series of talk show will be simulcast in BMN’s Facebook page and DXJC 92.1 Voice Fm Cotabato which can be heard every Tuesday at 10AM-11AM, Thursday night from 8PM-9PM and Saturday afternoon at 2PM-3PM.

The President of Voice Fm Cotabato, Saad Sindatok, joined the launching and expressed his gratitude to the partnership of BMN and his radio station.

This month series of talk show episodes will focus on the participations of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the call for Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) extension up until 2025.

“The Civil Society Organizations Movement for Moral Governance (CSO-MMG) has led the advocacy,” said Ammier Dodo, Spokesperson of (CSO-MMG) as he related how the organization was formed in May 2020 in pushing for the Bangsamoro transition period extension.

Dodo enumerated some of the reasons why BTA period needs be to extended. “This is to provide more time for both the BTA and the National Government to implement the provision of R.A. (Republic Act) 11054 or BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) and CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) and in implementing steps that will pave the way to recovery and normalization of conflict affected communities. These will result to strong and solid transition from conflict to reconciliation and peace in the Bangsamoro,” he emphasized.

Dr Rahib Kudto, President of United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD) Inc., also joined the conversation in the 2nd episode of Kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro. Kudto introduced how and when UNYPAD was formed and their efforts and contributions in sustaining peace and development in the Bangsamoro.

On what to propose if BTA will be extended he said, “…gusto kong magkaroon ng isang ministry, hindi lamang isang commission kundi pagkakaroon ng batas that will create the Ministry for Youth.”

(I wish there will be one ministry, not only commission but we will have a law that will create the Ministry for Youth).”

Kudto has encouraged every Bangsamoro to continue the support for BTA extension period.

“Ipagpatuloy natin ang ating suporta sa pag extend ng BTA, sapagkat ito lamang ang tanging paraan na mabigyan ng espasyo ang pagpapatupad ng mga dapat ipatupad na napaloob sa batas,” he explained.

(Let us support the extension of the BTA period for this is the only way that we can give space to implement what are need to be implemented that is provided by the law.)

The President of League of Bangsamoro Organizations (LBO) Prof. Hashim Manticayan has also joined the conversation via zoom and shared the efforts and roles played by LBO from BOL campaign and the Bangsamoro plebiscite up to the call for transition period extension.

“Community discourse, mass mobilization, rally sa Metro Manila ay umabaot tayo. Several caravans po ang nagawa natin pati narin po yung more than 1 million signature campaign supporting the extension of BTA. Naging aktibo rin po ang ating kasamahan lalong-lalo na po yung mga members natin na napakaraming tauhan sa baba,” Manticayan said.

(Community discourse, mass mobilization, rally in Metro Manila, we even reached that. We did several caravans and reached more than a million supporters in the signature campaign for the BTA extension. Our colleagues were so active especially our members in the grassroots.)

“Kailangan mas lalo pa nating paigihin yung efforts natin upang itong nakamit natin na tagumpay sa pagsulong ng kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa bayan ng Bangsamoro ay ma sustain po, kung kaya’t itong extension ng BTA ay hindi po nahuli ang LBO,” he said.

(We need to strive more in our efforts to achieve peace and development in the Bangsamoro, we need to sustain it. That is why in this call for BTA extension, LBO is not left behind.) 

Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, Secretary General of Mindanao People’s Caucus (MPC) also joined the talk via zoom.

She related that the call for extension first came out during the Rapid Midterm Review which was conducted by MPC last year.

According to Arnado, these includes the problems encountered during the transition and also to look at recommendations coming from the civil society to be able to help improve the performance of the BTA.

The MPC conducted the midterm review and tackled the two (2) tracks, one track is on the political side--political track and the other one is on normalization.

“Yung mga recommendations po natin ng MPC is very constructive and still in the spirit of really ensuring that the peace agreement would really be fully implemented and completed also because of that we came out with the recommendation to extend the transition period because we have found out that kulang na talaga tayo sa oras (we lack time). Midterm pa lang (only). When we started in 2019 medyo parang nagkulang na kasi (it seemed there is not enough time) the whole year of 2019 more on turn over lang yun eh,” Arnado said.

“If you look at the period of transition over 3 years and some months total period niya and we have observed na the transition period by itself is really, very short. So, if we are here to address institutional reforms and political reforms within the Bangsamoro medyo yung (that) 3-year period by itself ay kulang talaga (really not enough). So iniisa-isa namin yung (we laid down one by one) priority task ng BTA and given that short period kahit walang pandemic ay kukulangin tayo sa oras (even when there is no pandemic, still the time is not enough),” she emphasized.

She also gave an update about the recent status of Senate Bill 2214 where 15 senators voted in favor and only 3 were against and one has abstained.

“If you look at the approved version of the senate and the substitute bill halos wala ng (there is almost no) conflict they have the same title, they have the same section 1 and  section 2 on what to do with the BTA members, the incumbent BTA members merong provision doon na from the expiration of the term of the 80 members, the BTA, the President will appoint new members who will serve the term up to June 30, 2022,” she added.

Arnado said the next session scheduled this coming September 13, 2021, Monday and that there are only 12 session days remaining before congress will go on recess.

Arnado is optimistic that the law providing for the Bangsamoro transition period extension will be passed.

A leader of Indigenous Peoples (IP), Archie Buaya, Chairman of Confederation of Descendants of Rajah Mamalu (CDORM) who guested the program on Saturday, September 11 said they are happy that the plight of IPs is among of the priorities of the “Moral Governance” espoused by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim.

Buaya said that they have now the voice in the Bangsamoro government and they will continue to support the call for transition period extension so that all the Bangsamoro codes and developments especially for IP community will be put in place.

Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN) Inc. News Release #001-2021

Sept 11, 2021