GLOBAL DAY OF CITIZEN ACTION TO CALL FOR PASSAGE OF BANGSAMORO BASIC LAW

Manila, Philippines — As part of the Global Day of Citizen Action (GDCA), CODE-NGO, the largest NGO coalition in the Philippines, will be holding a mass action called “Action for Freedom and Peace for All,” on May 16, 2:30pm, at the Peace Bell in Quezon City Memorial Circle. The event aims to promote the immediate passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which is faithful to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) . 

“Peace is important in itself, but is also vital for equitable and sustainable development. This is why CODE-NGO supports the peace process and the BBL,” Dodo Macasaet, Executive Director of CODE-NGO, said. 

“The BBL will respond to the needs and aspirations of our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro and will lay down the foundation for lasting peace in our country. It has already been a long 17-year journey. When will we achieve lasting peace and justice in the Bangsamoro if not now?,” Macasaet added. 

The Bangsamoro Basic Law is a law that seeks to establish the new Bangsamoro political entity. It was in 1996 when the Ramos administration started negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Agreement for General Cessation of Hostilities was signed in 1997. However, in 1999, the Estrada administration declared an all-out war and the peace talks were postponed. The peace talks were resumed during the Arroyo administration and bore fruit to the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Formation of International Contact group for the GPH-MILF Peace Process. The Aquino administration continued with the peace talks and significant progress and have gone as far as the signing of the CAB in 2014. 

However, after the Mamasapano clash in January of this year, there is now a derailment to the passage of the BBL. Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and JV Ejercito have withdrawn their support and the House has postponed the voting on the BBL. 

“It is now crucial for us to show support on the passage of the BBL. We call on all Filipinos to stay the course and support the BBL and to ask Congress to approve the law,” Macasaet said. 

Several civil society groups will gather on the event to voice out their support on the peace process. Some of the activities of Action for Freedom and Peace for All include a walk for peace, a solidarity dance and a peace serenade from peace advocate Noel Cabangon. The event will also have booths for participants and passers-by to write messages of support for peace and the Bangsamoro Basic Law to be delivered to the Congress. 

“Secretary Deles said, ‘Today we are called to stand beside, not against, our Muslim brothers and sisters in their quest for justice and selfhood’ and this is what we want to do on May 16 — to show that we stand beside our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro,” Macaset added. 

The GDCA is a global campaign that started in 2014 to raise awareness about threats to freedom of expression, association and assembly. CODE-NGO, together with civil society organizations in more than 50 countries, is celebrating this year’s GDCA to protect democratic freedoms and to promote the proposed sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as SDG 16 – inclusiveness and peace. 

For more information about the event, contact Renee Karunungan at 09175057055.