Let’s give peace a chance! Sec. Piñol, MinDA Support, BARMM Transition Extension

Sec. Piñol, MinDA Support

BARMM Transition Extension

The Mindanao Development Authority, officially, and I, in both my official and personal capacity, support the move to extend the transition period of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for another three years.

I know that this position which I had taken would come as a surprise to many observers given my reputation as one of the fiercest critics of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the past.

Indeed, the performance of the current officials of the BARMM is far from excellent but they are evidently trying their best.

We must give them a little leeway and understanding given the fact that they are former rebels who are thrust into a new task of governing a huge political territory for the first time.

From using guns to impose and pursue a dream, they now utilize the law and government instrumentalities to provide their people a better life.

Their capabilities in running a huge government bureaucracy still leave a lot of room for improvement.

They are sometimes slow and too cautious in their decision-making but I would personally rate their performance as “better than most” with no intent to denigrate the previous leaders of the Bangsamoro Region.

Some of them are still afflicted with “This is Ours” syndrome where they claim exclusive right to govern the BARMM because they fought for it.

This is something which must be corrected because they must work with the other stakeholders in the region to succeed.

From the outside, I see a group of former rebels working hard to deliver the dreams that they shared with their people, including the former combatants who lost loved ones in their half-century struggle.

Operating and moving inside the Autonomous Region, I could smell the fresh air of hope for peace, tranquility and progress.

While I was considered as Public Enemy No. 1 of the MILF when I was Governor of North Cotabato, I could now freely travel even at night in formerly perilous areas within the region in the performance of my job as MinDA Chairman.

Outside of the BARMM, people, especially in my home province of North Cotabato, enjoy new-found stability and a sense of security.

Gone are the ambuscades, the attacks on villages, the kidnappings, the bombings and other atrocities in the past which were part of the realities of a revolutionary struggle.

So, instead of questioning their capability to govern, let us support them.

Rather than despise the slow-paced and cautious implementation of projects, let us help empower them.

The gains of peace are simply too clear and the effects so comforting to ignore.

The peace pact forged by the government under President Rodrigo Duterte is a defining moment in our history as a nation.

We must not squander this chance of enjoying the blessings of peace in Mindanao.

This is the best legacy that our generation could bequeath to the Filipinos of tomorrow.

Let us give peace a chance.

#peacebringsaboutprogress!

(This video material was preduced by the Beauty & Bounty of Mindanao Media Team.)