EVEN before my appointment to the BTA, we in our team have made it a habit to meet with youth and community leaders in the grassroots. Apart from having implemented programs there, my team and I value the voice of the people on the ground. We have tried to do our best to amplify their voices, and to empower those that have no voice. Here, in the grassroots, their wants and needs are strong and clear.
It is so easy to focus on the noise that surrounds those in the government, especially regarding the transition. Those who are closely watching us have also been monitoring our first 100 days, which are said to be indicative of the kind of governance that any political body has moving forward.
In the five weeks since our appointment, announcements have been made regarding the heads of ministries and of those in the parliament, as well as foreign nations that want to invest in the Bangsamoro. This willingness to work with the Bangsamoro can only mean good things for our people. However, we also cannot discount those who have concerns regarding the priorities of the transition authority.
As is our mandate, our first priority is to the Bangsamoro people. It is our duty as public servants to provide what our constituents both need and deserve. And, just like any government entity, we are of course given to criticism. We are merely men and women, still, despite the task given before us. Perfection only rests in the example of our Creator – human as we are, we will of course make mistakes.
If we fall short of our obligation to the people, it is, of course, our constituents’ right to remind us. This is why our relationship with our people must be that of trust, and reason, and openness. We cannot do this alone. Just as much as the Bangsamoro needs a functioning BTA, the BTA also needs the support and the voices of our constituents.
This is why, before we start to criticize any government entity, we must be results-oriented. Our energies must be focused on meaningful, sustainable solutions to our problems. It is not just in the perspective of the MILF, or the MNLF, or even with us in the BTA. We are in our office because we must, and should, amplify the voices of the people.
The future is now in our hands. It is not exclusively in the hands of the Bangsamoro, but in each and every stakeholder of this country. With this responsibility, what are we planning to do? We cannot merely aspire to be an ideal – we must work towards being as close to it as we can. This includes listening to differing opinions and understanding priorities.
During the inauguration ceremony, President Rodrigo Duterte directed us to “not just live up to its aspirations and principles embodied in the past peace agreements with different Moro fronts, but also promote good governance, transparency, accountability, and inclusive political empowerment.”
We must not fall to the trap that so many other governments have fallen into. The BARMM is not a pie that is divided, and we each fight for a larger share than the other. It is not an opportunity to capitalize or further one’s own interests. It is a journey of men and women who plant seeds, so that our children may enjoy in its fruits.