Author: Nassef Manabilang Adiong

Nassef is the founder of Co-IRIS (International Relations and Islamic Studies Research Cohort), PHISO (Philippine International Studies Organization), DSRN (Decolonial Studies Research Network), and BRLN (Bangsamoro Research and Legal Network). He works on interdisciplinary research between Islam and International Relations and explores the Bangsamoro society as he heads the Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) of the Bangsamoro Parliament. Visit https://nassef.info/ for more details.

Autonomous Regional Parliament of the Bangsa Assemblies (ARPBA): the end of political dynasties and the rise of proportional representation by community welfare clans and service-oriented sectors

A revolutionary idea of abolishing LGU system (from governors, mayors to barangay captains) and changing the 80-member regional representation to what I call the “Autonomous Regional Parliament of the Bangsa Assemblies (ARPBA)” as the new name of BARMM. It shall be composed of 261 elected officers and service-based sectoral representatives of the nine standalone Bangsa Assemblies referring to (1) The Bangsa M’ranaw Assembly, (2) The Bangsa Magindanaw Assembly, (3) The Bangsa Sug Assembly, (4) The Bangsa Iranun Assembly, (5) The Bangsa Sama Assembly, (6) The Bangsa Yakan Assembly, (7) The Bangsa Bajaw Assembly, (8) The Bangsa Indigenous Peoples Assembly, and (9) The Bangsa Settler Communities Assembly.

The number of representatives per Bangsa Assembly is determined by proportional representation based on the number of registered community welfare clans and societal sectors representation. A community welfare clan is usually composed of a group of close-knit and interrelated families and subclans while societal sectors refer to regular service-oriented representations. This type of non-territorial and culturally embedded representation will control and limit the influence of prolonged political dynasties established by a handful kinship of political elites. All community welfare clans and communal service-oriented sectors will have equal political representation and equitable access to governmental public resources. It will no longer be accessible to very few clans/families who have been holding the positions of governors, mayors, or barangay captains for quite some time and yet for decades there are minimal economic progress with poor quality of basic services (e.g., electricity, water, internet/mobile connectivity, road infrastructure, etc.) delivered.

Upon determining Assembly representations, each Bangsa Assembly shall elect their own (1) Speaker who shall take the Chief Minister position, (2-3) two Deputy Speakers who automatically becomes the Deputy Ministers, (4-5) Majority Leader and its deputy, (6-7) Minority Leader and its deputy, and regular service-based sectoral representatives from the (8) youth services, (9) women services, (10) elderly services, (11) persons with disabilities (PWDs) services, (12) religious or ulama and pilgrimage services, (13) academe and education services, (14) business, trade and commerce services, (15) finance and investment services, (16) agriculture and forestry services, (17) aquaculture and fisheries services, (18) healthcare services, (19) energy and electricity services, (20) water services, (21) environment, shelter, and climate change resiliency services, (22) labor, livelihood and social services, (23) public infrastructure, flood management, and transportation services, (24) information technology, telecommunication and internet services, (25) public order, security and safety services, (26) Research & Development (R&D) services, (27) Science & Technology (S&T) services, (28) cultural heritage services, and (29) public media, entertainment, and tourism services.

The elected sectoral service representatives shall automatically take the leadership role of their respective ministries, agencies and offices (MOAs) within a particular Bangsa Assembly, thus public services are devolved and trickle down to their own people. It is up to the particular Bangsa Assembly’s preference if they wanted to add other types of services in the budget appropriation in creating new public service-oriented MOAs. For now, each Bangsa Assembly shall have a total of 29 elected Assembly Officers which shall form part the total number of Members of the Bangsamoro Peoples Parliament at the regional level, i.e., a total of 261 MPs. The computation is shown below:

The eligible candidates for BPP Speakership are the nine Speakers of the nine Bangsa Assemblies. All 261 MPs will have to vote to determine the regional BPP Speaker. This same method shall also be applied to determine the two regional BPP Deputy Speakers, one regional BPP Majority Leader and its deputy, and one regional BPP Minority Leader and its deputy. The regional service-oriented sectoral representations shall form their own “BPP Caucus” which shall proactively initiate the crafting of legislations reflective of the voice and interest of the sector their representing. For example, the nine MPs under the women services of the Bangsa Assemblies shall create the “BPP Women Caucus” which shall spearhead GAD-relevant advocacies in legislating laws and implementing public policies both in their particular Bangsa Assembly’s homeland and in the regional Bangsamoro Peoples Parliament of BARMM.

PRLS Facilitates Training on Project Management, Procurement Process Flow, and Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) Foundations

Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) actively participated in a comprehensive 3-day training on project management, procurement process flow, and Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) Foundations and key concepts, held from October 28-30, 2024 (Rabi’ al-Thani 14-16, 1446 AH), at Paragon Hotel, Cotabato City.

Key Expert 1, Parliament and Team Leader of SUBATRA, Mr. Reginald M. Pastrana, led the discussions on Project Management, emphasizing the role of E-governance in enhancing transparency and efficiency in modern project management practices. During the session, each division was also able to draft its own project management plan, ensuring that strategies were tailored and aligned with division’s objectives. Ms. Glaiza A. Biaoco, Supervising Administrative Officer of the Procurement Division, thoroughly covered the procurement process flow, sharing valuable insights into developing streamlined and effective workflows within procurement. Additionally, Jehan Y. Mitmug-Umpa, EnP, Chief of the BTA Planning Division, presented an in-depth overview of the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) Foundations and key concepts, focusing on the significance of SPMS in aligning individual and organisational performance with broader strategic objectives.

This training highlights PRLS’s commitment to continuous professional development and to equipping its team with essential skills.

“PRLS Facilitates Learning Sessions on Bangsamoro Governance and Executive Coaching”

Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) actively participated in the five-day program titled “Learning Sessions on Bangsamoro Governance and Mandatory Executive Coaching,” from October 2-6, 2024 | 29 Rabi Al-Awwal to 3 Rabi Al-Thani 1446 AH, at Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. The event, spearheaded by the Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) and the Office of the Secretary General (OSG), in partnership with the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Human Resource and Management Division (HRMD) and the Development Academy of the Bangsamoro (DAB), brought together key officials and technical staff from the Support to Operations (STO) offices, the Office of the Parliament Speaker (OPS), and General Administrative Support (GAS).

Key topics covered included the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Act, the significance of research in parliamentary processes, and parliamentary practices, structures, rules, and procedures. Discussions on moral governance and its role in promoting ethical leadership, along with a comprehensive presentation of the Bangsamoro situationer, provided valuable insights into the region’s current socio-political challenges. These sessions were designed to enhance the leadership capacity of participants and equip them with the tools necessary for effective legislation and governance within BARMM.

This event aimed to strengthen the understanding of governance principles, parliamentary procedures, and the unique legislative context of BARMM. With a focus on capacity-building, the program provided essential knowledge for stakeholders in the Bangsamoro region to foster transparent, ethical leadership and drive meaningful reforms.