BY JESS DUREZA
(Continued from yesterday)
ROAD MAP
Government’s road map at that time was, and should still be, simple. Any signed agreement with the MILF and any output from the MNLF tripartite review would all be consolidated in Congress when it passes the enabling law. Hence, what would come out from the legislative mill would be for all Bangsamoro, not only for the MILF.
TRANSITION AUTHORITY
Here’s something I feel equally important to consider. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will be constituted upon the approval of BBL with President Benigno Aquino III making presidential appointments to constitute it.
BTA will take over from the defunct ARMM to govern the new government. It will be MILF-led and will start entrenching and operating the new Bangsamoro.
I propose that the BTA, led by the MILF, include proportionate representatives from the MNLF, the traditional political leaders or tribal leaders, even “rogue elements” if they so wish, and civil society.
I knew there was an effort to bring in the MNLF earlier but I knew it was a token gesture that the group, of course, rejected.
LONGER TRANSITION
Let me go to my second point. In the proposed BBL, the length of transition time in allowing the MILF agreement to make it work and show positive results is too short. It should be extended.
If Congress approves the BBL even in the best-case scenario by December 2014, a plebiscite will be held 120 days therefrom or by April 2015. This is a crucial stage because the affected areas will vote whether they want “in” or “out” of the Bangsamoro area.
If we are not careful and prudent, the initial shocker will be that the new Bangsamoro territory may even lose some areas and will be smaller than the present ARMM. This will be a serious initial setback.
But by making the BTA multi-membered and inclusive and the transition period extended, it stands a better chance of surviving the first challenge in the plebiscite.
MOVE ELECTIONS
Most importantly, if the elections are held on 2016 as envisioned or about one year after the plebiscite, the MILF and the other groups will have no time to organize as a political party, capacitate themselves and earn public goodwill to be able to fairly compete with the entrenched political leaders.
Most crucial is that they will lack time to show positive results and convince the doubters. In that light, the MILF and/or its candidates will stand no fair chance of winning.
BETTER 2019
Instead of setting the Bangsamoro elections in 2016, Congress should move it to 2019 to coincide with the next local elections. This will allow the MILF-led BTA enough time to perform and “deliver” and show to the Bangsamoro and to the world that they can make a difference and the new framework governance unit, indeed, is the correct formula for them.
A shorter period will prematurely jeopardize and throw to waste what everyone fought and worked for.
However, if by 2019 there’s not much done or nothing much has changed, then let’s all forget it. But we did try and gave it our best shot.
PNOY’S LEGACY
An inclusive law and longer period to entrench will ensure a lasting durable legacy that President Aquino shall be remembered for. An early debacle in 2016 will immediately relegate him to the dustbin of history.
FEDERAL
My final point. If this Bangsamoro formula works, we have one foot inside the federal system. If the whole country eventually decides to dismantle a Manila-centric government and shift to federal, the soon-to-be Bangsamoro Federal State can very well be the harbinger.
Then we can have the Federal State of Davao or Federal State of Zamboanga, Federal State of Ilocandia, of the Ilongos, and so on and so forth.
We are already regionalized and our federal states can just follow these regional groupings.
Mark my word: with the special concessions given to the Muslims, other Filipinos will also demand for equal opportunity.
If we all succeed in this, we ultimately leave the fate and destiny in the hands of the locals who best know what is good for them and whose status and well-being as citizens will be determined by how they handle their affairs and charter their own destiny. And no longer kowtowing and feeling dependent on or endlessly blaming Imperial Manila. This can be a turning point for all. Who knows?
But for sure, Congress is in the cusp of making history./PN
