Political party with 'economic goal' expands to Tawi-Tawi

COTABATO CITY — A political party founded in Lanao del Sur, also aiming to cohesively connect the agriculture sector and business organizations in the Bangsamoro region, has expanded to Tawi-Tawi to unite local farmers and fisherfolks for socio-economic ventures.

Up to 213 sectoral representatives from across Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday joined the Serbisyong Inklusibo, Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP party), organized in 2002 by a group of political leaders, members of different business blocs and peace advocacy groups in Lanao del Sur.

The new SIAP members were sworn in by the party’s president, Lanao del Sur Vice Gov. Mohammad Khalid Adiong during a symbolic rite Wednesday in Bongao, capital town of Tawi-Tawi.

Tawi-Tawi is one of the six provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

More than a hundred representatives from different sectors in Basilan, also a component-province of BARMM, joined SIAP during a gathering in Zamboanga City early this month.

“We appreciate the entry into SIAP of new members from Tawi-Tawi,”  Adiong said on Thursday.

Party officials had earlier said that the SIAP aims to promote cohesion, among political leaders, the traders and entrepreneurs in all four corners of the Bangsamoro region, on economic ventures that can generate trading opportunities, employment and attract investors from outside.

Adiong said SIAP is also supportive of Malacañang’s separate peace process with the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

“We don’t have any animosity with other emerging political parties in the BARMM either,” Adiong said.

Adiong said SIAP’s main focus is the empowerment of the farming and fishery sectors and the business communities in all six provinces and three cities in the Bangsamoro region.