“Bangsamoro Youth cannot afford a half-baked transition” – BYC Comm. Dunding

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Website (Oct 5, 2021): “Bangsamoro Youth cannot afford a half-baked transition” – BYC Comm. Dunding (By Muhammad Musa, Luwaran)



COTABATO CITY - “Bangsamoro Youth cannot afford a half-baked transition and the Bangsamoro people deserve an established, strong government for the next generation,” said Nasserudin D. Dunding, Commissioner of Cotabato City, Maguindanao and Special Geographic Areas of the Bangsamoro Youth Commission in Kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro talk show of the Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN).
Dunding was invited on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, to guest the talk show to discuss BYC’s contributions in the development of the Bangsamoro Government and its efforts in extending Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) extension bills.

He explained that the Commission was created based on the RA 11054 also known as Bangsamoro Organic Law. “This is one of the priority legislations of BTA, to establish an office that will cater the issues, concerns, and perspective of the Bangsamoro Youth,” Dunding added.

“Ang Bangsamoro Youth Commission is an attached agency to the Office of Chief Minister. Kasama po ito sa opisina ng ating mahal na Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. Ang mandato po ng ating opisina ay dalawa, una tayo po ay isang policy making agency, pangalawa ay tayo po ay coordinating body,” the youth commissioner explained. [The Bangsamoro Youth Commission is an attached agency to the office of Chief Minister. It is included in the office of our dear Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. The mandate of our office is two, first we are a policy making agency, second is we are a coordinating body.]

“Pagdating sa mga polisiya ay tinawatag na policy recommendation, and policy formulation ito po ay kay Bangsamoro Youth Commission. Pangalawa sa coordinating mechanism ang BYC ay not an implementing agency, tayo po ay coordinating agency,” Dunding elaborated. [When it comes to policies, it is called policy recommendation, and policy formulation is with the Bangsamoro Youth Commission. Second in the coordinating mechanism, BYC is not an implementing agency, we are a coordinating agency,” Dunding elaborated.]

He clarified the age of those to be considered belonging to youth sector, as it was stated in the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 10, and manifested in the Bangsamoro Act No. 13, otherwise known as Bangsamoro Administrative code of the BARMM.

“Dito po sa BARMM ang definition ng mga kabataan ay 15 to 30. Maraming hikma, wisdom tayong tinangnan dito, may wisdom ang mga leaders natin.” ["Here at BARMM, the definition of young people is 15 to 30. We have a lot of wisdom, we have wisdom here, our leaders have wisdom."]

According to him, the Office of the Chief Minister never failed in supervising and supporting the Youth,

“Isa sa pinaka mahalaga po ang opisina ng Bangsamoro Youth Commission, because as we see, one of the most powerful sector in our society is the youth, the most active sector. In terms of political movement, kailangan ma empower natin ang mga kabataan according kung papaano natin sila ma develop. Kaya ang office of Chief Minister ay hindi po pinabayaan ang atin kabataan,” Dunding said [“The office of the Bangsamoro Youth Commission is one of the most important offices, because as we see, one of the most powerful sectors in our society is the youth, the most active sector. In terms of political movement, we need to empower the youth according to how we develop them. That is why the office of Chief minister has not neglected our youth,” Dunding said.]

The discussant said peace building is one the advocacy program of BYC for the youth.

“They closely monitor the mechanism to strengthen and sustain the peace process. For a decade long struggle ng mga Mujahideen at we have the BARMM ito po yung opportunity na mapatunayan natin na kaya ng Bangsamoro mag sustain at mag govern ng kanilang sariling paggogobyerno,” Dunding underscored. [They closely monitor the mechanism to strengthen and sustain the peace process. For a decade long struggle of the Mujahideen and we have the BARMM this is the opportunity for us to prove that the Bangsamoro can sustain and govern their own government,” Dunding underscored.]

The youth commissioner said there are 187 accredited youth organizations specifically in Maguindanao, Cotabato City and 63 Barangay in North Cotabato and less than one (1) thousand organizations all over BARMM Region.

“At least this 2021, the Bangsamoro government allocated 76 million for its operation. Approximately there are around 76 million approved budget this year for Bangsamoro Youth Commission intended for personal services, MOOE and capital outlay,” Dunding said.

He also shared some of the program they have partnered with Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) called ESKEY Program or Engaging the Sangguninag Kabataan, Empowering the Youth Program.

“We’ve been sitting together with the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government sa MILG kasi sila po yung may direct mandate po na mag engage sa Sanggunihang Kabataan natin. Si BYC naman sa youth po as a whole. Marami po tayong pag-uusap hangga’t sa dumating po yung panahon, itong taon na ‘to ay pormal na pong gumalaw yung ating programang SK engaging,” Dunding related.
[“We’ve been sitting together with the Ministry of Interior and Local Government at MILG because they have a direct mandate to engage with our Sanggunihang Kabataan. BYC is for the youth as a whole. We have a lot of conversations until the time comes, this year our SK engaging program has formally moved,” Dunding related.]

He said that the program aims to ensure that youth leaders in the localities and barangay communities are meaningfully engaged, connected, informed and capacitated.
“Our youth institutions, the Sangguniang Kabataan, the Local Youth Development Offices (LYDO), the Local Youth Development Councils (LYDC), and their member youth organizations and youth serving organizations are functional and performing,” Dunding added.

For the 10% share of the SK to their respective Barangays, Dunding said: “Kailangan aksyunan ng gobyerno at palakasin ng BTA kung paano ma in order ang pondo ng SK sa bawat Barangay, pag check and balance nung pagpapasa ng 10% fiscal autonomy ng mg SK’s na mabigay sa kanila at ma-manage at pagpapa igting ng ibat ibang religious intervention sa mga kabataan whether Muslim, Christian or Lumad. [Dunding said: “The government needs to take action and strengthen the BTA on how to order SK funds in each barangay, check and balance when passing 10% fiscal autonomy of SK's to be given to them and manage and tighten of various religious interventions on young people whether Muslim, Christian or Lumad.]

He said the BARMM leadership provides wider space for the youth to become part of the governance, become part of the transition and molded to become prime movers in the upcoming regular government.
Dunding ended his message urging the youth to continue to refresh their skills. He assured them that the BYC is always present to accompany the young Bangsamoro. “We will have many more paths to follow and many more problems to solve,” he said.

[Luwaran is the official online publication of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Committee on Information, MILF Central Committee]

https://www.luwaran.com/news/article/2393/---bangsamoro-youth-cannot-afford-a-half-baked-transition--------byc-comm--dunding--