By TENG L. DATU
Cotabato City Bureau Chief .
MAMASAPANO, Maguindanao — For about two hours, more than 200 residents, mostly women clad in Tundong (Muslim headdress), sat and listened as a speaker explained to them the salient provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
A majority of them were mothers with children in tow. Some were nursing small babies, while others were leafing through reading materials. The elder ones exchanged views in the vernacular in hushed tones.
There were also young students from a nearby Madrassah (Muslim school) who were part of the huge crowd gathered at the barangay gymnasium. They, too, knew that something important was taking place.
Regardless of their personal motivations in attending the event, all of them had one thing in common: they wanted to learn how the BOL can help improve their well-being and bring long-lasting peace to their community.
The women of Mamasapano have been witness to the ravages of war. Three years ago, the village was the sight of an armed encounter between members of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force and Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The Multi-Stakeholder Forum on RA 11054 or the BOL, organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp), became an opportunity for the people to understand how the law will help prevent the recurrence of armed clashes in the area and across Mindanao.
In his presentation during the forum, Romeo Saliga, commissioner of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), said the BOL recognizes the struggle of the Bangsamoro people to assert their identity within the region.
“This is not an ordinary law. The BOL aims to finally put an end to the armed conflict in Mindanao,” he said.
For Zuhnea Kudos, 46, the multi-stakeholder forum was an eye-opener.
“Malaking tulong ang forum na ito sa amin,” Kudos said, adding she will echo what she had learned from the gathering and help campaign for the BOL’s ratification to be held on Jan. 21, 2019 in the proposed core territory.
Meanwhile, the plebiscite for Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and areas that petitioned for inclusion will be granted by the Comelec, is scheduled on Feb. 6, 2019.
“Gusto namin ng kapayapaan. Lahat kami dito sa Mamasapano boboto ng yes,” she said.
Kalid Ladsak, 64, believes the landmark measure will help strengthen their cultural identity as a people. (with reports from opapp)
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