Nassef is the founder of PHISO (Philippine International Studies Organization), BRLN (Bangsamoro Research and Legal Network), DSRN (Decolonial Studies Research Network), and Co-IRIS (International Relations and Islamic Studies Research Cohort). He researches policy issues affecting the Bangsamoro society and explores decolonial knowledge sources of the global south as well as interdisciplinary study between Islam and International Relations.
PRLS had a meeting with Director Abdul-Jalil “Jal” Umngan, RPF, EnP, CGM, MSSEDMS of the Forest Management Services of the Bangsamoro Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) on September 01, 2021 to discuss the BTA Parliament Bill no. 53 or “An Act Creating the Bangsamoro Sustainable Development Board.” PRLS will provide its own review on bill 53 soon.
The meeting was also attended by a staff of MP Abdulraof A. Macacua.
As the newly formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is at its critical juncture of establishing its foundation, hiring competent civil servants is one of its crucial tasks. The aim of the paper is to theorize a better hiring process for the Bangsamoro government. To realize the proposed objective, this study pursues a conceptual exploration of the notion of merit-based hiring process set by the Civil Service Commission standards. It clarifies what merit-based hiring means as opposed to a recruitment shaped by the padrino system. These two contradictory concepts provide ground for an assertion that a merit-based system should be advanced based on practical and moral grounds. Lastly, the paper notes the conceptual limitation of the merit-based hiring as it fails to address the moral question, which is critical in BARMM government. Grounded on Moral Governance Framework for BARMM, the paper enriches the concept of merit-based hiring in view of the five principles of faith, freedom, moral authority, common good, and social ethics. As a result, the study does not only set the vocabulary for a rational critique of the meritocracy and padrino system; but more importantly, it provides an initial attempt to concretize the moral governance framework as seen essential in setting the foundation of BARMM government.
Keywords: Civil Service, Merit, BARMM, padrino system, moral governance
PRLS team—Dr Nassef Manabilang Adiong, Atty. Abdel Jamal R. Disangcopan, Mr. Abdulwahid H.G. Panganting, and Mr. Ershad S. Ibba—assisted the officials and staff of the BARMM Ministry of Human Settlements and Development in its quest to strengthen and redesign its functions and organizational structure through the “Writeshop Proper for the Proposed Amendments of the Book VI, Title VI of the Bangsamoro Administrative Code” held on August 2-6, 2021 in Koronodal City.
Governance has been at the fulcrum of the Bangsamoro’s leadership. Whether it has been—or can yet be—good or moral governance is the question at hand. The discussion of good governance precedes that of moral governance in this article, with the former describing a modern-secular form of good governance as defined by international and multilateral organizations, while the latter propounds the idea of an Islamic-rooted moral governance. The new BARMM autonomous government is the opportunity for the Bangsamoro people to chart up their future in accordance with their distinct beliefs, culture, and aspirations, a shift from the struggle into fighting against oppression, corruption, discrimination, and other malpractices that are worsening the situation of the Bangsamoro people. Its leadership is determined to lead and manage the Moro society based on “moral governance.” However, it is difficult to understand what moral governance means. By using an exploratory design to frame research as inquiry and gain insights on moral governance as the BARMM’s agendum, the research navigated and conceptualized the meaning of moral governance based on a proposed framework that constitutes five immutable principles: Faith, Freedom, Moral Authority, Common Good, and Social Ethics. By constituting these interrelated principles that will map the framework towards practice, within the distinct historical and faith context of Muslim Philippines, an authentic Bangsamoro leadership is envisaged as a tolerant society to various Muslim groups and non-Muslim communities—Christians and Indigenous Peoples in particular. Consequently, the juxtaposed comparison of the ARMM and the BARMM will, in effect, highlight the tasks that were not successfully or satisfactorily implemented by the ARMM. These are areas where the BARMM can build its introductory steps to come up to the challenges of moral governance.
Citation:
Adiong, N.M. & Diampuan, P.D. (2021) “Principles and Practice of Moral Governance in the Bangsamoro.” In: U.S. Malik, ed., Development for peace (In pursuit of sustainable peace through inclusive development: The case of the Bangsamoro). Mindanao State University–Marawi and Maven Media Asia, pp. 31-53.
In Manila times’ article: Moral governance as the key ingredient to BARMM’s success, Dr. Nassef M. Adiong, OIC of Policy Research and Legal Services, was cited as a key source in understanding the notion of the Bangsamoro’s Moral Governance Framework:
“Dr. Nassef Manabilang Adiong, an associate professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies of the University of the Philippines, presented the principles of moral governance in the Bangsamoro on YouTube on March 3, 2021 (refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3rVreC9k0Q). At the outset, he stated that many people’s ideas about governance are often related to Western democracy. He added that based on his team’s research, the multilateral organizations’ Western democratic framework of good governance has seven prescriptive criteria or qualities: 1) accountable; 2) consensus-based; 3) equitable, efficient and inclusive; 4) participatory; 5) responsive; 6) transparent; and 7) [upholds] rule of law. These qualities and characteristics are noble and are important to attain a just and humane society.”
Nassef Manabilang Adiong, PhD 
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