Category: News and Events

Decolonial Approaches to Legislation seminar-workshop

“Decolonial Approaches to Legislation seminar-workshop”

A two-day seminar-workshop organized by the UP-CIDS Decolonial Studies Program, the BTA Parliament’s Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS), and the Decolonial Studies Research Network (DSRN). The activity aims to explore, discuss, and elaborate the usage of decolonial approaches in crafting legislative measures such as bills and resolutions in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority – Parliament. It shall illustrate the importance of decoloniality in the lived-experiences and socio-cultural realities of the Moro peoples vis-à-vis the world of policymaking and implementation.

The deadline for registration is on November 11th, 2022. This event will be held in person in Cotabato City, Philippines.

Register here or use the shortened URL bit.ly/decolonial-legislation.

WFD pays courtesy visit to PRLS

The Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) welcomed a courtesy call from the officials of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) on Wednesday, October 19, in Cotabato City.

The two parties discussed the mandates and accomplishments of the PRLS as well as the support the WFD can provide to the service in capacitating its staff. Some of the project collaborations proposed in the meeting are seminar-workshops on BARMM’s electoral code, budget notes, capacity development and post-legislative scrutiny.

The WFD, a UK’s democracy assistance agency, is “dedicated to supporting democratic stability” in the Bangsamoro region. 


| via Abdul Wahid I. Tocalo, LMLAD

PRLS Special Series 003 examines BLGC’s provisions on Peace and Order

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has seen notable progress in its peace and order due to the effective responses of the national and regional government.

PRLS Special Series 003, “Prospect of the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code (BLGC) in Sustaining Peace and Order in BARMM”, identifies the gap between the BLGC’s mandates on peace and order and addresses the realities of violent extremism in the region.

To strengthen the BLGC’s provisions on violent extremism, this paper highlights BARMM’s successful reintegration efforts to improve its peace and order council. This paper is part of the PRLS Special Series on Mandanas, which explores different implications of decentralization and its aspects as realized in the BARMM context.

CLICK the download button to access the fact sheet.

PRLS-Special-Series-003Download

PRLS, MHSD collaborate on policy research agenda and proposals

The Director of Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS), Dr. Nassef Manabilang Adiong, delivered a speech setting a policy research agenda and proposals for the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) during the Policy Forum: Participatory Research Agenda on Housing, Land Use and Regulation for the Bangsamoro Region convened on October 3, 2022, in Blue Lotus Hotel, Davao City.

The Legislative Research Division (LRD) Chief, Mr. Vincent L. Casil, and PRLS legislative staff officers, Mr. Kebart P. Licayan, and Mr. Benyamin S. H. Salic, also presented the critical discussions, recommendations, and priority agenda that transpired during the break-out session.

The policy forum was conducted by the Policy Coordination and Development Division (PCDD) of MHSD in partnership with PRLS of the Bangsamoro Parliament in celebration of Urban October and National Shelter Month.

The forum aims to identify the key issues and concerns on Housing, Land Use, and Regulations as well as priority policy research in aid of formulating and developing policy guidelines toward a sustainable and better Bangsamoro region.

PRLS presents “The Bangsamoro Struggle Today” at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute conference in Singapore

“The new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) 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,” Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS)


Director Nassef Manabilang Adiong phrased in an abstract submitted to the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies). Director Adiong presented the paper titled “The Bangsamoro Struggle Today” at an international conference held in Singapore on July 18-19, 2022.

The conference was anchored on the theme, “Trendsetters of Islam in Maritime Southeast Asia: Emerging Discourses and Trending Ideologues.“

It provided a platform for researchers to map out emerging ideas from countries like the Philippines and know how these ideas are acquired and transmitted, as well as examine identified transmitters of new trends, which include vital personalities, groups, or institutions to watch.
Also present at the two-day event were division heads Atty. Hisham Nazz Ala Biruar, Mr. Vincent Casil, and technical staff Kebart Licayan, and Musthafa Mazhar Ali.

This coming September, the research team is set to attend another international conference on Cohesive Societies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where they were invited as delegates.