President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to continue their efforts towards greater success as he lauded them during its historic first local legislative general assembly.

“We have already made our first steps. All we have to do is to continue what we have started to make sure that we never waver in our determination to succeed,” Marcos said before the leaders during the first BARMM Local Legislative General Assembly in Davao City.

BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo; BARMM Finance and Budget Management Minister Ubaida C. Pacasem; the Vice Mayors' League led by its regional chairperson Vice Mayor Almedzar Hajiri; and, the Philippine Councilors' League led by regional chairperson, Councilor Shariefuddin Lucman attended the assembly.

Marcos said that their presence and the holding of the assembly signify that the spirit of cooperation and unity runs strong among the BARMM leaders as he emphasized that their insights and initiatives are crucial to achieving peace and progress in the whole country.

“As you use this platform to assess the challenges in the implementation of the Organic Act for the BARMM, you also explore the various collaborations that will improve the socio-economic condition of the Bangsamoro people,” Marcos said.

“It is very important and the simplicity of your ceremonies here today belies the importance of what we are opening today. It is a landmark day. It is a historic day. It is historic and it is a landmark day because it is a measure of progress that we have made over so many decades as we have strived for peace,” he added.

“We have made some false starts. We have come to some success. But we have never come this far. But it also reminds us how much work there still needs to be done. The organization of a new regional autonomous government is something that we still have to learn about.”

The President said the autonomous region is also something that both the national and BARMM governments have to study with the experiences of other people and of other countries.

“How that is going to work, how we will conceptualize it, how we will operationalize it. That is the job that you have before you today,” President Marcos emphasized.

Before concluding his speech, the chief executive assured the BARMM leaders of the administration’s unwavering support for the development agenda to achieve a sustainable and peaceful self-governance.

Marcos attended the first BARMM Local Legislative General Assembly in Davao City, which took place a few hours before his flight for San Francisco, California to attend the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting.

The President said that he insisted to be present to witness the very important day not only to the BARMM, but to the entire Philippines. Presidential News Desk