The BARMM Governors’ Caucus (BGC) on Monday welcomed the convening for the first time of the autonomous region’s Council of Leaders by Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ibrahim.
Members of the Council of Leaders will meet on Wednesday, August 9, in Davao City.
Since the establishment of the BARMM in March 2019, the provincial governors have called for the activation of the Council of Leaders, so that the voice of
Local Government Units (LGUs) can be heard and considered in the governance of the autonomous region.
During the launch of the BARMM Governors Caucus (BGC) on June 6, 2023, the five elected governors of BARMM called for the meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), as well as the convening of the Council of Leaders, among others.
The RPOC met in Sulu last 10 June where the governors submitted their manifesto and an open letter to President Marcos.
In a Joint Position Paper, the governors called for the regular meeting of the Council of Leaders, at least quarterly, to fulfill its mandate under RA 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
The governors also called for the inclusion of the following critical and urgent issues in the agenda for the Council’s meeting: peace and order issues leading to the October 2023 barangay and SK elections; rationalizing and armonizing BARMM and local government planning; greater coordination between regional ministries and localities in the implementation of regional projects in local areass; transparent, accountable, and efficient implementation of regional projects and Issues on Rule of Law and Justice in the region.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law provides that the main function of the Council of Leaders is to advise the Chief Minister on matters of governance in the region. It is composed of the Interim Chief Minister as head of the council, Members
of the Congress of the Philippines from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region; provincial governors, and mayors of chartered cities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region; representatives of traditional leaders, non-Moro indigenous
communities, women, settler communities, the Ulama, youth, and Bangsamoro communities outside of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region; and representatives of other sectors.
The BGC’s core advocacies are rule of law, peace & order and inclusive development and governance. The BGC is composed of the elected governors of the five provinces in BARMM, namely Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr. of Lanao del
Sur, Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur, Gov. Abdusakur M. Tan of Sulu, Gov. Hadjiman S. Hataman-Salliman of Basilan, and Gov. Yshmael “Mang” I. Sali of Tawi-Tawi.