The two leading nominees of the Aksyong Magsasa-Partido Tinig ng Masa (AKMA-PTM) have expressed full and unqualified support for the Organic Law of Bangsamoro Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao, saying it is an answer to the clamour of the Bangsa Moro people.
The two nominees expressed confidence that majority of the Bangsa Moro people are supportive of the organic law.
“It provides the window for growth and development considering that it translates into the allocation of funds and resources for Bangsa Moro areas,” said Tawi-tawi vice-mayor Hadjimar Matba in Davao City on Friday.
Matba is the No. 1 nominee of the regional party-list that counts farmers from Mindanao, notably in Agusan, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi Tawi, and Maguindanao among its members.
Aside from the Organic Law of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, the party-list is advocating long-term and sustainable solutions to the concerns of rice growers.
The group, among other things, batted for legislated access to capital by rice growers.
Datu Mike Abas Kida, the other nominee of the regional party-list said the group’s advocacy for the Organic Law of Bangsamoro Autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao runs parallel to the thrusts of the Duterte administration.
“The organic law addresses not only the clamour of the Bangsa Moro people but also those of the Christian and Lumad populations,” he said.
He said the implementation of the organic law will empower rice growers in Mindanao.
Kida said the party-list group is also fully supportive of the extension of martial law as a tool to stop bad elements. “No politician has been killed in Mindanao since when Martial Law was declared as compared to Luzon where local politicians are being assassinated time and again.”
He said that once the organic law is implemented, agricultural development will be fast-tracked in the level that Vietnam has attained as an exporter of rice.
“We can strive for rice self-suffiency where the lot of the rice grower is fully addressed—from access to capital and technology to marketing,” he said.
The two party-list nominees were in Davao City last week to attend a strategic planning that will enable the regional aggrupation to participate in the 2019 mid-term elections as well as in the campaign for Organic Law of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
President Duterte has affixed his signature to the law in April this year.
University of the Philippines Islamic law and politics professor Jamel Cayamodin said the Bangsamoro law is designed to address the grievances, sentiments, and demands of Muslims in the region.
Cayamodin said provinces in the ARMM are consistently among the poorest sectors of the country, mainly due to corrupt and inefficient government officials. Clan wars or Rido were also prevalent in the region.
