Cotabato City—The Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority has welcomed the addition to the body of former Assemblyman Zia Ur-Rahman Alonto Adiong, who has assumed office on Monday, as the 77th BTA Member of Parliament.
Adiong took his Oath of Office before Chief Minister Al Hadj Murad Ebrahim during a break from a whole-day Cabinet Meeting on Tuesday.
Accompanying MP Adiong are his mother former Lanao del Sur Gov. Soraya Bejoria Alonto-Adiong and siblings, incumbent Lanao del Sur Gov. Bombit Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr., and Lanao del Sur Congressman Ansaruddin Hookie Alonto Adiong—all members of the illustrious Alonto clan, being grandchildren of the late Senator Ahmad Domocao Alonto, and great grandchildren of Commonwealth Senator Sultan Alawiya Alonto of Lanao.
BARMM MILG Minister Naguib G. Sinarimbo said Assemblyman Zia’s experience in the Legislature will certainly enrich the debates in the august halls of Bangsamoro Transitional Authority Parliament.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has also appointed Diamela “Jam” Datu Ramos to the BTA Parliament, becoming the 6th woman-member of the Bangsamoro Policymaking Body, where a Taosug woman, Laisa Masuhud Alamia, a nurse-lawyer, has also been voted by her peers as Minority Leader.
Diamela Datu-Ramos belongs to a family of educated career executives from Lanao del Sur.
MP Zia Adiong studied Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines College of Law in Diliman, Quezon City.
Meanwhile, BTA Parliament Majority Leader Lance Ali Jr. said 454 items or positions have been approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the BTA Parliament support staff, enabling each Office of the Members of Parliament to hire five employees, including a lawyer, a chief-of-staff, an administrative officer, political officer, and a legislative development officer.