Dugayo, Jona Myka Q.

2019-0085
Natural Resources and Environmental Law

REACTION PAPER FOR REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11054 OR THE BANGSAMORO

ORGANC LAW

Our discussion was about Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic
Law. This was enacted on July 26, 2018.

This law is primarily enacted to provide for an organic act for the autonomous
region in Muslim Mindanao. Bangsamoro people refer to those who, at the advent of the
Spanish colonization, were considered natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao and
the Sulu archipelago and its adjacent islands, whether of mixed or full blood, shall have
the right to identify themselves, their spouses and descendants as Moro.
Further, the purpose of this Organic Law is to establish a political entity, provide
for its basic structure of government in recognition of the justness and legitimacy of the
cause of the Bangsamoro people and the aspirations of Muslim Filipinos and all
indigenous cultural communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao to secure their identity and posterity, allowing for meaningful self-governance
within the framework of the Constitution and the national sovereignty as well as territorial
integrity of the Republic of the Philippines.
As it is currently, the Bangsamoro government has an asymmetrical relationship
with the national government, as BARMM has more autonomy than other regions in the
country. The Bangsamoro government has exclusive powers over some areas of
budgeting, administration of justice, agriculture, customary laws, creation of revenues,
etc. The other differences of this government with our national government were also
explained such as its type of government, its cabinet ministries, its powers, its take on its
natural resources, and its sharing of revenue from its natural resources,
More than just a law, the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law paved way for
their establishment as a political entity, have a basic structure of government of their own,
and most importantly, the recognition of the justness and legitimacy of the cause of the
Bangsamoro people.

After several years of pushing and lobbying, it is truly a success for the
Bangsamoro people to be finally recognized as an autonomous region.