THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (Opapru) extends its deepest gratitude to President R. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for signing into law Republic Act No. 12123, “An act resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, amending for the purpose section 13, Article XVI of Republic Act no. 11054, as amended, otherwise known as the "Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.”
The passage of the RA 12123 is a testament to the Marcos Jr. administration’s unwavering determination to fulfill the commitments made by the national government under all signed peace agreements and bring sustainable development and long-lasting peace to our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters.
I also commend and thank the honorable members from the House of Representatives and the Senate for responding to the call of stakeholders in the Bangsamoro and swiftly passing the law for the said electoral reset.
It is worth noting that the first Barmm parliamentary elections now moved to October 13 of this year, marks the culmination of the political track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, enabling the Bangsamoro people to elect their leaders.
The resetting of the first parliamentary Barmm elections will provide the Barmm government sufficient time to address pressing legal concerns brought about by the Supreme Court’s decision to exclude the province of Sulu from the Barmm.
We are pleased that under Section 3 of RA 12123, the current Barmm government shall continue to disburse Sulu’s share of the region’s Block Grant earmarked for 2025, which will enable the province to implement programs in accordance with the rules and guidelines of the Department of Budget and Management.
The Opapru, together with its peace partners, join the Bangsamoro people as we gear up for the upcoming Barmm parliamentary election, which is another major milestone in the Bangsamoro peace process.
With the resetting of the Barmm elections, the national and Bangsamoro governments can now focus on the main task at hand, and that is, to ensure the peaceful, credible, and orderly conduct of this landmark political exercise for the Bangsamoro people.