30/07/2025
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐
๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ
Cotabato City, Philippines โ July 30, 2025 โ The Institute for Autonomy and Governance released today an independent assessment of governance in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The report offers the first comprehensive review of the six-year transition under the M**F-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). The report examines a pivotal period in Muslim Mindanaoโs journey toward autonomous regional governance, peacebuilding, and socio-economic development.
Co-authored by seasoned political analysts David G. Timberman and Yasmira Moner, โ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐บ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ผโ provides nuanced insights into the complexities of โrebel-to-rulerโ transitions, multi-layered political identities, and the performance of the BTA in delivering on its mandate. The report draws from over 50 interviews with government and civil society actors, extensive research, and a stakeholder validation workshop.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐
The report identifies six broad achievements during the transition:
โขThe M**F-led BTA introduced moral governance and a parliamentary system, setting it apart from typical regional governance models nationwide.
โขDespite crises such as the Marawi siege and COVID-19 disruptions, the BTA showed adaptability, resilience and continuity in leadership.
โขInternal factionalism was contained, avoiding destabilizing splits within M**F ranks.
โขThe establishment of BARMM institutionsโincluding the parliament, 15 ministries and numerous commissionsโlaid the foundation for regional autonomy. The BTA has enacted 6 of the 7 codes mandated by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) as well as annual budgets and numerous other laws,
โขInclusive governance saw gains through representation of youth, women, non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, and Christian settlers.
โขPoverty reduction and a decline in vertical conflict has resulted in modest but meaningful progress in social development.
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ
Yet the report warns of persistent challenges that could erode the progress made:
โขPerceptions of Maguindanaon dominance and neglect of the โBASULTAโ island provinces (Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) threaten the autonomous regionโs cohesion.
โขBudget underspending, bureaucratic inexperience, and delayed normalization have hampered the delivery of government services, which has placed a drag on the regionโs socio-economic development and damaged the credibility of the government.
โขHeavy reliance on moral governance alone has proven insufficient to address corruption, requiring more robust accountability frameworks.
โขPolicies and programs to promote socio-economic development remain piecemeal and suffer from poor implementation.
The report also underscores that the success of the BARMM government depends heavily on the national governmentโs engagement. It applauds the successive administrations for their continued support for regional autonomy, including the passage of the BOL, the provision of the block grant and support given for the development of BARMM institutions. And it credits both the national government and the BTA for establishing a useful mechanism for ensuring productive inter-governmental relations. But the report also notes that the national governmentโs role has been marked by uneven supervision, a tolerance of legal ambiguity, delays in honoring its commitment to support normalization, and its willingness to intervene in the M**Fโs factional politics.
๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ
With Sulu's recent exit from the BARMM and continuing calls for more inclusive representation, better governance and socio-economic development, the upcoming parliamentary elections present both a challenge and a chance for renewal. The new, elected BARMM government will need to successfully address a variety of challenges, including:
โขManaging more genuine and complex parliamentary politics.
โขStrengthening public financial management and the delivery of government services.
โขDeveloping more cooperative and productive relations with local governments in the BARMM.
โขEnsuring the meaningful participation of all Moro tribes, non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, women and youth.
โขDesigning and implementing pro-poor development strategies and programs.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
โThis independent assessment highlights the successes within BARMM that must be sustained, the challenges that require attention, and the opportunities that the new regional parliamentary government alongside national government, the local government units and key stakeholders, must seize to fulfill the promise of peace and development enshrined in the peace agreements and public policies,โ said Atty. Benedicto Bacani, Executive Director of IAG.
Funded by Australia in The Philippines, this study reinforces IAGโs commitment to informed political dialogue and inclusive governance in Mindanao.
DOWNLOAD: https://bit.ly/BARMMTransitionReview
