MANILA, Philippines — What is 'moral governance'? What are the details of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL)? How does it interplay with the Philippine legal system?
These are the questions that will be tackled in the upcoming comprehensive law book to be published by Rex Education.
"Moral Governance: An Introduction to the Bangsamoro Organic Law" will be published in collaboration with five lawyers and authors: Atty. Mohammad Muktadir Ahmad Estrella, Attorney VI, Chief of the Legal Services Division of the Civil Service Commission for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Manila and Notre Dame University College of Law; Atty. Joss Allen M. Pilapil, Partner at PALM Law; Atty. Jake Ogario Leoncini, Partner at PALM Law; Atty. Xavier Alexen Aseron, Partner at PALM Law; and Atty. Kevin Buen Marquez, Associate Solicitor at the Office of the Solicitor General.
The inspiration behind the title of the book came from the vision and mission of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): “The Bangsamoro that is united, enlightened, self-governing, peaceful, just, morally upright, and progressive. Guided by moral governance and in pursuit of genuine and meaningful autonomy, the Bangsamoro Government ensures the necessary conditions for enduring peace and sustained socio-economic development suitable to the systems of life, needs, and aspirations of its people by providing services to communities, ensuring multi-stakeholder participation, and facilitating appropriate partnerships.”
Decades of war and conflict in southern Philippines saw a glimmer of hope with the landmark legislation, BOL, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 26, 2018. It abolished ARMM and provided a regional government for the BARMM.
BOL paved the way for 63 barangays in Cotabato and nine of 22 towns in Lanao del Norte to join the newly created region. An Intergovernmental Relations Body was also created, composed of representatives from both the Bangsamoro government and central government, to hold the authority on the nine reserved powers for the central government, 57 exclusive powers for the Bangsamoro, and 14 concurrent powers for both.
“This is a peace legislation that is aimed to bring just peace in Muslim Mindanao by addressing centuries worth of historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro. The Bangsamoro Government is the only parliamentary form of government in the Philippines. Thus, there is an existing need and interest to explain how a parliamentary set-up in an autonomous regional government works in a presidential form of national government within the parameters of the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” the authors said in a statement.
The book aims to be give a "unified understanding" on the Bangsamoro history and legal mechanisms within the 1987 Philippine Constitution that recognize the autonomy in Muslim Mindanao. The book is set for release in the second half of the year. It will be available on Rex Book Stores nationwide and through the Rexestore.com.
“In the current national social and political landscape, while there is general perception about the issues concerning the peace and order situation in Muslim Mindanao, there is little to almost non-existent understanding about how the Bangsamoro Organic Law directly addresses the root causes of the conflicts in the said region," the authors enthused.
"It is high time that the rest of the nation finally understands that the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro were always justified by various legal instruments. Hence, it is also only by law that these wrongs may be justly corrected."