'Peace caravan' calls for BARMM transition extension

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 18. 2021): 'Peace caravan' calls for BARMM transition extension (By Noel Punzalan)

PEACE CARAVAN. The BARMM peace caravan route in the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, calling for the region’s transition period extension from 2022 to 2025. The caravan, spearheaded by civil society groups in Mindanao, is expected to attract some 1,000 vehicles in joining the convoy’s route on Thursday (March 18, 2021). (Photos courtesy of Suara Mindanao)

A "peace caravan" composed of hundreds of vehicles kicked off from this city Thursday, aimed at drumbeating support for the transition extension period of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao from 2022 to 2025.

Amai Samrod, deputy executive director of Suara Mindanao and spokesperson for the daylong peace caravan, said the vehicle convoy will circle Maguindanao and the 63 villages in six towns of North Cotabato that have joined the BARMM in 2019.

“We expect more than 1,000 vehicles to join our convoy today (Thursday),” he said, adding the caravan participants consisted mostly of civil society groups.

Calls for the region’s extension for its transition period for another three years mounted due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“Many programs have been hampered by the pandemic and an additional three years is a lot of help for these development packages to be implemented for the BARMM people,” Samrod said.

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi have earlier issued resolutions supporting calls for the extension period.

Last week, the Bangsamoro People’s Coalition also staged a rally in Manila urging the government to heed the call.

The BARMM covers the cities of Cotabato, Marawi, and Lamitan; the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan; and the 63 villages in six towns of North Cotabato.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133999