The Administration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao under the Moro Islamic Liberation Front: A Preliminary Analysis of Achievements and Challenges

Abstract

The success of the peace agreement between the central government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has established a new landscape in the regional administration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from 2019. Despite facing various challenges, for more than three years the interim government in under the provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) has built a strong base and foundation towards the existence of a viable, stable, and sustainable Bangsamoro government. Various development plans and programs have been drawn up and implemented during that period and are still in the implementation stage for the following years until 2025 before the first election. The earliest period of BARMM's administration became an important start in measuring and evaluating the extent of its effectiveness compared to the abolished Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Thus, this study aims to analyze several aspects related to the achievements and challenges of the BARMM interim government for the past three years. This study uses qualitative methods as well as some quantitative data by analyzing primary and secondary sources related to BARMM.