FIRST, allow me to share the statement of
the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) on the successful
Government of the Philippines-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF)
negotiations in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.
"The PCID applauds the signing of the Annex
on Power Sharing by the negotiating panels of the Philippine Government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. We congratulate the members of
the panels for reaching this collaborative effort in establishing the
Bangsamoro government structure envisioned to be responsive to the
aspirations and needs of the region and its people.
"We at PCID see the annex as another step towards the preparation of the
legal framework supporting the peace processes in Mindanao. The
document should lay the foundation for the long-awaited genuine,
inclusive and meaningful political autonomy for the Bangsamoro, with its
diversity of peoples and cultures. However, the key is in the enactment
of the enabling Basic Law by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC)
that would set the parameters for its interpretation and eventual
implementation by the still to be established Bangsamoro Political
Entity.
"Mandating the representation of non-Moros, women and other sectors in
the regional assembly is laudable, as this will ensure the dividends of
peace and developments will be shared equitably, and safeguard their
distinct cultures, rights and civil liberties.
"PCID is hopeful that definitive provisions on Ancestral Domain,
particularly as it relates to the Indigenous Peoples of the region, will
be addressed by the BTC. Another concern is the reported deferment of
the delineation of territorial waters, and its inclusion in the last
annex on Normalization. These two contentious issues will have to be
resolved, as this impact the viability of the Bangsamoro as a distinct
politically autonomous region.
"We are hopeful that the provisions embodied in the annex will
ultimately motivate all Bangsamoro people to become more involved in the
drafting of the Basic Law. With the people’s active engagement in the
ensuing public consultations, the envisioned Bangsamoro legal framework
would, at the very least, establish an autonomy truly reflective of the
aspirations of all Bangsamoro.
"Finally, PCID reiterates its continuing support for the peace process
and hopes that the coming new year would be greeted by the signing of
the final annex on Normalization."
The three annexes will strengthen the foundation for economic
development, thus expanding the economic pie, which will, in turn,
strengthen fiscal autonomy. As BTC Chair Mohagher Iqbal said, "Political
autonomy without fiscal autonomy, or power without resources will break
as soon as it is being put to test."
Allow me to continue the discussions on expanding the economic pie
during the "Business and Investment Climate for the Bangsamoro" held at
the Waterfront-Insular Hotel in Davao City (Nov. 26-27).
Former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Dondon
Paderanga, who chaired the Forum, cited the critical role of the private
sector in his synthesis. The private sector is key to bridging the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) -- soon to become the
Bangsamoro Region -- from the challenges it faces to the opportunities
available in agri-business, power, mining and natural resource
development, tourism and trade. To do this, the region must address the
constraints: particularly in peace, law and order; sustainable
infrastructure, including human infrastructure; skills for the business
sector and the state of education; governance and policy. All these have
been barriers to sustainable development, as detailed by the
presentation of PCID Convenor Urooj Malik, former Director of the Asian
Development Bank, and now Bangsamoro Development Authority’s senior
adviser for Sustainable Development.
Additional inputs from the private sector with regards to the challenges
to competitiveness included: openness to foreign capital participation;
fair and equal treatment for foreign and domestic companies; ease of
doing business (such as strong arbitration laws in line with
international arbitration practice and adherence to international
conventions); open and transparent local economy; access to land and a
stable and predicable policy environment (political and economic). The
Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the annexes, in part,
address these concerns, but need to be fleshed out by the BTC.
Mr. Paderanga, a native son of Mindanao, summarized the immediate (and
doable) strategic interventions: investment promotion and identification
of projects as well as for the Bangsamoro to negotiate and determine
its economic goals of fiscal autonomy and an autonomous economic
strategy, not too tightly bound by the strings of Manila.
In the medium to long-term, the Bangsamoro will need to put the
fundamentals in place for business and labor regulation, incentives and
business support, land and property rights, banking and finance
including Islamic finance.
In a nutshell, the former NEDA Chief said: "Economic Sustainability is
critical!" The consensus of the 120 gathered participants: while
government will have to focus on policy and institutional options and
actions following the FAB and the signed annexes, there are options that
are doable now. Further, short-term and long-term strategies must
address the four identified thematic areas: sustainable social
infrastructure, both human and physical infrastructure; business/labor
regulations; financing -- particularly Islamic finance; and land and
property rights.
A piece of advice shared by many participants: the Bangsamoro must avoid
past mistakes and have a development plan that addresses its unique
situation. Tom Allen, Project Director of the conference and former
World Bank Country Director, had stated earlier: "It cannot be ‘business
as usual’ for the Bangsamoro." Autonomy provides the Bangsamoro with
the legal foundation to set its own strategy, a power it has not
exploited in the past. Listening intently were Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan
and the board of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), as were
members of the BTC and the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management
Institute (BMLI). (It was unfortunate that none of the invited officials
from the ARMM Regional Government attended, apart from Board of
Investments head Ishak Mastura. (Hmmm. Political dynamics at play?)
The BDA is currently immersed in drafting its Bangsamoro Development
Plan. Their timetable: to have the final draft ready by April 2014,
ready to be addressed by Congress when it convenes to work on the
national budget. Last Wednesday, the World Bank hosted the meeting of
government’s development partners to discuss how to provide the
assistance needed by the BDA in crafting the Plan.
Time is tight and resources are limited. We hope that the calamities
that have visited the Philippines, both disasters due to man and to
nature, will not distract government and development partners from their
commitment to support the Bangsamoro. We have a window of opportunity,
closing fast, to set things right in Muslim Mindanao. For the sake of
the nation as well as the long-suffering Bangsamoro, we need to exert
all efforts to ensure that the promise of autonomy made to the
Bangsamoro decades ago is converted to reality. A truly autonomous
Bangsamoro will contribute to the growth and wellbeing of the entire
nation. A dysfunctional Bangsamoro, as it is today, will continue to be a
millstone that will drag the Philippines down. Seems to me that there
is only one rational choice.
source: Businessworld
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