President Duterte reminded the members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority last night to carefully wield their power as they lead the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and prepare the people in the region to a transition to a new dawn.
Duterte made the statement as he led the inauguration of the BARMM in Cotabato City.
In his speech, Duterte expressed how extremely happy he was that the BARMM is finally implemented.
“May I just express in front of you my extreme happiness that… It gives me the high that we were able to realize at least a part – maybe not all, but a part of what the entire country would have wished for the Moro people of Mindanao,” he said.
“I cannot express my sense of gratitude to you for understanding, for giving us the time to craft the law, to make it legal and a promise a new dawn for the Moro, the Bangsamoro area or territory,” he added.
Duterte said that the inauguration is a step closer to the realization of the decades-old dream of a peaceful Mindanao that is governed by the autonomous government that serves all Filipinos who also call Mindanao their home.
“It is my sincere hope that the new Bangsamoro regional government will not just live up to its aspirations and principles embodied in the past peace agreements with different Moro fronts, but also promote good governance, transparency, accountability, and inclusive political empowerment,” he said.
The President reminded the members of the BTA to do their best to serve the best interest of the people as their future depends on them now.
The BTA is the body that will serve as the BARMM government from 2019 to the 2022 elections.
“To my dear Bangsamoro sisters and brothers in the BTA, the power to chart the course of your region’s future is now in your hands,” Duterte said. “I trust that you will wield this power with utmost care, the future of succeeding generations of the Filipinos, especially the Moro of Mindanao, depends on it,” he added. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)