Marcos: Much needs to be done to fulfill peace in Bangsamoro

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there is still more to be done in improving the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) to ensure peace and development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

In his video message for the 10th anniversary of the signing of the CAB late Wednesday evening, Marcos said the national government remains dedicated to providing the Bangsamoro people with an improved future.

"Recognizing the importance of inclusivity and respect for diverse cultures, there were certainly many challenges but we persevered. Today, as your president, I stand before you, committed to fulfilling that promise,” Marcos said.

“We have seen progress and much needs to be done,” he added.

The CAB sets the stage for the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, a legislation that lays the foundation for the establishment of the BARMM.

Marcos, a former lawmaker, remembered his involvement in drafting the Bangsamoro law.

In 2015, he characterized the proposed measure as dead, citing Congress's lack of time to pass it during the final year of former President Benigno Aquino III's term.

But then the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was ultimately enacted and ratified during the tenure of his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Now that Marcos is the country's chief executive, he promised that he would persist in collaborating with the Bangsamoro government to advance the prosperity and development of BARMM.

“A decade after the CAB brought hope in our nation, we remain committed to empowering the Bangsamoro to chart their own prosperous future by enacting vital legislation and ensuring fair elections in 2025,” Marcos said.

"Peace is our legacy. Let us build it together. A stronger BARMM means a stronger Mindanao. A stronger Mindanao means a stronger Philippines," Marcos added.