BARMM News
Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-oQW
COTABATO CITY — A re-enactment of the arrival over 500 years ago in mainland Miindanao of Arab-Malay missionary Muhammad Shariff Kabunsuan to spread the teachings of Islam opened this year’s grand celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival on Thursday, December 15, at Cotabato State University (CotSu) Grandstand in this city.
Carrying the theme “One Heritage, One Culture, Endless Possibilities”, this year’s festival aims to celebrate the unity of the people, the rich history, colorful but diverse cultures, craftsmanship, unique traditions, and spectacular sites in the Bangsamoro homeland.
The Bangsamoro Government, through its Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT), spearheaded the celebration of the said festival; and for the first time, the regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is jointly conducting the activity with the City Government.
Officials of BARMM and the city, residents, and Maguindanao provinces attended Thursday’s program.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the 63 SGA villages that voted “yes” in a plebiscite in January and February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas, the region has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur.
In his message read by BARMM Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Asnin Pendatun, Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al-Hajj Murad” Ebrahim mentioned some of the qualities of Shariff Kabunsuan which are worth emulating.
“We take inspiration from the determination of Shariff Kabunsuan in sailing towards the nourishment of people’s faith and improvement of the lives of the people of Maguindanao and in other areas in mainland Mindanao,” Ebrahim said.
He said that the message of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival is beyond the colorful and creative preservation of the Bangsamoro cultures and traditions and the remarkable journey of the late Sultan.
“It is also a celebration of our creativity, solidarity, and resiliency. I admire the timing of this activity as it brings out enthusiasm and ensures the endurance of our people in Cotabato City after surviving the challenges brought by pandemic and disasters,” Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), added.
He further stressed, “we must always remember that development is built on the foundation of peace and co-operation, and it is an effort in which everyone must participate. May you all enjoy the celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival and allow me to mark the beginning of our journey towards freedom, long-lasting peace, and progress.”
Tulunan performers crowned champions, took Php300,000 first prize
Meanwhile, Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad “Bruce” Matabalao expressed joy that this event celebrates not only the heritage of the Bangsamoro but also the spirit of unity.
“I have been very hopeful to see two governments work together hand in hand to celebrate our identity and our heritage that co-existed peacefully, socially, economically, politically, and even culturally with our highlander neighbors,” Matabalao said.
“It is important to note as well how this event brings to the fore our inherent strengths as people — our kindness, our communal spirit, and our commitment and industry, of which this year’s Shariff Kabunsuan Festival is sure to be bigger, brighter, and more successful than before,” the city chief executive added.
The “Kuyog” Showcase Competition was also a part of the celebration which was participated by schools and dance troupes from Tulunan, North Cotabato; Malabang, Lanao del Sur; Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte; Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte; and Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Performers of Tulunan municipality won the first prize worth Php300,000; Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, got the 2nd prize amounting to Php200,000; while performers from Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, won the third prize of Php100,000. The city government sponsored all the cash prizes.
George Kimboy, the artistic head choreographer of the Sib-Sib National High School Tulunan Performers, expressed his gratitude to the governments of BARMM and Cotabato City.
“People here in BARMM and Cotabato City are hospitable, areas are peaceful [and] we are amazed about the progress of various areas we traveled. As to the prize we received, half of it will be equally shared with our dancers while the other half of it will be used to buy some props to improve our performance,” Kimboy shared.
Various activities are lined up to commemorate Shariff Kabunsuan’s arrival through the festival which will run from started on December 15 and ends on the 19th. (Kasan Usop, Jr./BIO) — (✓)