LAST March 27, 2023, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) conducted an activity entitled “Forum on the Progress of Peace: Challenges and Prospects for the Bangsamoro''. It is an activity to commemorate the 9th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The CAB was a historic agreement made on March 27, 2014, between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). This agreement sought to bring lasting peace and development by providing for greater political autonomy for the Bangsamoro people. However, as time has passed, too many fora, conferences, and similar activities were conducted. But still, peace in Mindanao is perceived to be elusive. Because of this, I believe that there is a need to memorialize the said event to give life to the provisions of the agreement and to remind the government and the MILF of the importance of their implementation.
I was fortunate to witness the signing of the CAB together with peace advocates from Mindanao and key officers of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces. I can still remember a few months thereafter, we worked hard in campaigning for the passage and ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The BBL was supposed to be the law that would put in place the political track of the CAB. Unfortunately, Mamasapano Massacre happened in 2015. The BBL was not signed and passed in Congress.
The CAB was a culmination of several years of negotiations between the government and MILF leaders. The agreement is significant because it recognized the right of the Bangsamoro people to self-determination and their right to govern themselves.
Despite the signing of the CAB, there have been challenges in its implementation. Some provisions of the agreement have been enacted, such as the creation of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. However, other provisions of the agreement have yet to be implemented, such as the disbandment of private armies, the rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas, the decommissioning of MILF combatants, and the establishment of a Bangsamoro police force.
It is therefore important to MEMORIALIZE the CAB to remind the government and the MILF of the provisions that have yet to be implemented. This will help ensure that the agreement is fully realized and that the Bangsamoro people can enjoy the benefits of greater autonomy and development. One way to ensure this is by establishing a Bangsamoro peace monument that commemorates the signing of the CAB and highlights the importance of its provisions.
The peace monument could be a physical structure or a series of installations that celebrate the history, culture, and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people. It could also include a brief history of the conflict in Mindanao, the steps that led to the signing of the CAB, and the provisions of the agreement that have been enacted and those that have yet to be implemented. This way, the monument would serve as a reminder to government officials, MILF leaders, and the public of the lives of people that were sacrificed because of the conflict in Mindanao.
I believe that the need to memorialize the CAB cannot be overstated. This agreement represents a historic moment for our nation.