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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News
(SDN) — In the May 2022 general election, presidential aspirants, chief among them, former senator Ferdinand R. “Bongbong” Marcos. Jr., Vice President Leni Robredo, former senator and global boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, organizations and individuals aligned themselves with their chosen bets. It’s a tradition in political exercises across the world.
They helped organized meetings and, more importantly, in the campaign period. Many of these politically inclined non-government organizations and individuals, if not all, used their own resources and, of course, time to help make sure their respective presidential candidate got wider exposure. That’s to give them a better chance at winning.
And winning it was!
And as fate would have it, Marcos, Jr., scion of the late president of his namesake, won the 2022 presidential election by a landslide of votes. More than 30 million voters had him in their ballots.
Among the many organizations that propped up the young Marcos’ candidacy was the Brotherhood of Brave Maharlikan (BBM) Tigers, organized by Christians and Muslims, majority of them from the Lanao provinces.
Sometime in November 2023, the SDN – SciTech and Digital News learned the BBM Tigers had chosen a new president in the name of Haji Abdullah “Abel” S. Macarimpas, former director for Financial Service Director at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
Abel Macarimpas welcomed his new role with the BBM Tigers, saying he would do his best to promote a stronger organization, foster more connected leadership with the other officials and the members. He also assured that the principles that the civil organization have been operating on will continue.
BBM Tigers is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It’s “an active civic group with the mandate to protect our environment through climate change mitigation initiatives and humanitarian services to alleviate the suffering of the less fortunate citizen(s) during a calamity,” according to Executive Order No. 2023-001 dated January 24, 2023.
As for its new president, Abel Macarimpas, he is a scion of a royal noble descent, an heir apparent of several sultanate principalities in the Lanao provinces.
His being active in civic activities traces back to his being a student leader when he was a student, although he declined to become vice president of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) when he was taking his course at the then Lyceum of the Philippines, now Lyceum University of the Philippines (LUP). He was being recruited by LFS president and late Lean Alejandro.
Abel Macarimpas was the first Muslim elected two times as grand chancellor of Alpha Theta Chapter, LUP.
His activism also saw him elected regional development director, Metro Manila, national vice president for Fraternal Affairs, respectively, of Alpha Phi Omega, second elected national president of the Philippine Student Association (PHIMSA).
His leadership experience he parlayed in government service as he rose from the ranks, from Development Management Officer (DMO) II to administrative director, NCMF, until his retirement.
At the NCMF, he also served in various capacities: as regional director, bureau director, finance director, director of Administrative Service.
Friends and those who know him best describe Abel Macarimpas as a “brave and courageous leader, a negotiator, and peace maker.”
Further, his leadership style gained the loved his relatives and friends.
As he awaits his future for a new stint in the government, his relatives and friends asked him to throw his hat in the political arena which, incidentally, is perfect choice being the BBM Tigers president.
At the Commission, his lawyer daughter Bai Sarah Raihanah T. Macarimpas-Pacasum is regional director of NCMF-North Luzon, which is based in Baguio City, Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR). (/)