Day after plebiscite

Anticipating traffic and hurdles like the perennial road repairs works (what’s with the “Build, Build, Build” program, even concrete roads that appear in good condition are being torn down for repair?) we motored early to Marawi from Cagayan de Oro to cast our votes in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite.

We met few military checkpoints along the highway and soldiers manning them were respectful. There was clear wearing away of the fear and anxiety residents experienced in the immediate aftermath of the Marawi war when civilians were subjected to strict and meticulous inspection and irritating questions. We hope this will be the new normal in our commute to Marawi.

As we approached our precinct, there was visible lack of enthusiasm among a handful of early voters. The inclement weather did not help. A fleet of vans emblazoned with “Libreng Sakay” for evacuees were provided by the Marawi City Government which has pulled all stops campaigning for “Yes” vote. As I watched them, I cannot help but wonder if the voters really know what they are voting for and the ramifications of their vote to their life and future.

After the tally, an overwhelming Yes vote was registered in Marawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao while the No vote prevailed in Sulu and Isabela City. A provision in the BOL which is being questioned by the Sulu provincial government before the Supreme Court, treats all provinces and cities comprising the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as one geographical area for purpose of the plebiscite. Hence, the “No” vote in Sulu will just be buried by the landslide “Yes” vote in other provinces. Being part of ARMM, Sulu cannot opt out from BARMM while Isabela will be excluded.

The Moros heaved a collective sigh of relief after the BOL passed the final crucible. With their angst tempered, they face tomorrow full of hope for peace and betterment of life. But a new challenge which is no less formidable looms in the horizon.

A new political entity, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) comes to life. It has inherited a swirling cesspool of anomaly and misgovernance, meriting a tag as a “failed experiment” in governance. The efforts of the immediate past governors of its predecessor, the ARMM, for reforms couldn’t match the enormity and magnitude of the mess passed upon them. Reform is very much a work in progress and the challenge now faces the new leadership of BARMM. Perhaps a fresh look at these problems should be the first order of the day.

Some who will lead the BARMM are described by critics as babes in the wood. They will be transported from the battlefield to the administrative field, the dynamics of which need a different kind of art and skill. Past corruption has become endemic that if they don’t watch and guard their moral compass they will be eaten by the system. They will be confronted with a bigger bureaucracy, enormous funds to appropriate and wider autonomous power. It will not be a walk in the park.

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority that will be organized by the President to govern the BARMM in the interim will play a crucial role at this formative stage. It might spell the success or failure of BARMM.

While it is a given that an ideal commission should be inclusive of stakeholders, its members must possess basic knowledge of the art of governance. They must have bonafides to include, inter alia, integrity and dedication to the mission and vision of the BARMM. They must keep in mind that the BARMM is a sort of laboratory for a future federal system of government or a substitute system if the campaign for Federalism fails. If it succeeds, other regions can ask for a similar arrangement. The whole country is watching how it will fare. Will it pave the way for a future multicultural federalism or lead to nightmarish balkanization?

The DILG should team up with the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance to form a pool of experts that will conduct seminars and short-term courses for would-be administrators of BARMM. Together, they should identify and classify problems and solutions and plow thru the maze of defined powers of the central and autonomous governments whose nuances are deep and susceptible to contrasting interpretation.