COTABATO CITY, Jan. 19 -- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao  (ARMM) Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman today called on local government officials, specifically on the provincial governors to support the crafting and passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law by providing helpful inputs during the congressional hearing scheduled tomorrow, January 20 at the House of Representatives, Batasan Complex, Quezon City.

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“Let us help our lawmakers pass a Bangsamoro Basic Law that is truly responsive and reflective of the needs and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people,” Hataman said referring to the hearing of the HOR Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL headed by Cagayan de Oro second district Representative Rufus Rodriguez. 

According to Hataman, the conduct of the public hearing tomorrow is timely, coming at the heels of Pope Francis' blessing to the Mindanao peace process.

“I also join our Bangsamoro people’s renewed enthusiasm and hope for peace and the immediate passage of the BBL in Congress with the special attention given by Pope Francis to the peace efforts here,” Hataman said. 

The regional governor also cited the statement of support to the BBL expressed by the framers of the 1987 Philippine Constitution last week “that public conversation should not be about semantics but about people – their needs, their aspirations, their choices,- and about empowering them with the environment and institutional framework for social justice.”

“Their statement really captures the essence of lawmaking, asking our people to decide what is good for them and capturing what they articulated,” Hataman said.

He also lauded the broad public consultations of lawmakers under the able leadership of Rodriguez because “building a consensus among the people is very important in drafting a law that is reflective of what is good for them and the country.”

“Things are really looking up for the Bangsamoro people,” Hataman said, reiterating the reforms his administration is continuously working on prior to  the establishment of the Bangsamoro.