House ad hoc committee on BBL holds public hearing in Ilocos Norte

Bangsamoro Basic Law public hearing. The House Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law conducts its 24^th public hearing here in Laoag City. The committee members who visited Laoag for the hearing are (from left) Reps. Celso Lobregat (Zamboanga City, 1^st District); Rudy Fariñas (Ilocos Norte, 1^st District); Ad Hoc Committee vice chairman and presiding officer Henry Oaminal (Misamis Occidental 2^nd District); Tupay Long (Sulu, 1^st District); George Almonte (Misamis Occidental, 1^st District); and Isagani Amatong (Zamboanga Del Norte, 3^rd  District). (Doms dela Cruz)

The public hearing was held at a school auditorium in Laoag on December 5, 2014. (Doms dela Cruz)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Laoag City—Six members of the House ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) visited Laoag on Dec. 5 to consult Ilocanos and the Muslim community here on their thoughts about House Bill No. 4994, which seeks to promote peace in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) including Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato.

Presided by Rep. Henry Oaminal (Misamis Occidental, 2^nd district) along with five other members of the ad hoc committee namely: Reps. Rodolfo Fari1ñas (Ilocos Norte, 1^st district), Celso Lobregat Zamboanga City, 1^st District, Tupay Loong (Sulu, 1^st District), Jorge Almonte (Misamis Occidental, 1^st District) and Isagani Amatong (Zamboanga Del Norte, 3^rd District) told Ilocos residents the “insights of Ilocanos are important” for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro government.

“We are one nation, the concerns of Mindanao are the concerns of Luzon and Visayas and vice versa. Di ba may kasabihan tayo na ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay sakit ng buong katawan. That is precisely the idea. The proposed Bangsamoro affects us all. As a Mindanaoan myself, I too, would like to hear the concerns of Luzon,” said Mr. Oaminal.

Held at the auditorium of a college in Laoag City and attended by various multi-sectoral representatives composed of the United Alliance of Muslim Community in Laoag City, local government officials, public and private organizations, business organizations and other religious sectors, the ad hoc committee on the BBL was in Laoag for the 24^th league of the peace caravan in key cities of the country.

Citing the bill as a legacy of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, which he strongly supports, Mr. Fariñas said the committee hopes to finish the series of consultative hearings before December 17 in time for the passage of a committee report and plenary debate early next year when the Congress will resume session.

For the Muslim community in Laoag, Omar Yasin, adviser of the United Alliance of Muslim in Ilocos Norte expressed support for peace and development.

“We are grateful for the pushing of this bill. We thank Allah and we express our full support to this endeavor,” Mr. Yasin said during the hearing.

Meant to strengthen the relationship of the proposed Bangsamoro government with other local government units, Mr. Oaminal underscored the committee values the significance of Regions I and II as base of cultural diversity where peoples from different religion, cultural background and political divisions were able to live in peace and harmony.

“This diversity is a model for us in Congress to emphasize that the tri-people in Mindanao can be successfully governed by the formula of peoples’ participation, people empowerment and good governance,” he added notwithstanding the fact that there are many Ilocanos also in Mindanao.  

For his part, Ilocos Norte police provincial director P/Sr. Supt. Antonio Mendoza Jr., who also served as former police chief of Basilan has commended the ad hoc committee for promoting lasting peace in Mindanao through the passage of the BBL.