Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-YCX
| X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
COTABATO CITY, April 21, 2026 (SDN) –The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has a new parliament building conveniently located also inside the Bangsamoro Government Center (BGC) Complex here in the city, capital of the regional governance.
Named the Sheikh Salamat Hashim Building, (SSHB), the structure is an apt tribute to the founder and late chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who passed away in Butig, Lanao del Sur, on July 13, 2003.
Another agency, the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILF) of the BARMM, had also earlier named a local government award after him, the Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership (SEAL) for the region’s local government units (LGUs) which performed in “outstanding” manner.
Now, a structure has been named after the MILF founder/chairman, an enduring tribute to his leadership and legacy.
On April 16, the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) headed by Minister Eduard Guerra officially turned over the new legislative building to BTA Parliament Speaker Mohammad S. Yacob, Ph.D., in a ceremony attended by key officials of the regional government. The SSHB is a four-storey structure built with the aim of enhancing legislative operations.
As he accepted the ceremonial key for the building, Yacob voiced his gratitude to the MPW for its successful completion and turnover of the legislative facility, emphasizing what SSHB symbolizes, such as service, unity, and commitment. He also put highlight on the structure’s importance in the strengthening of and supporting the parliament’s legislative functions.
New Parliament Building, a shared vision for the Bangsamoro
“This is not just a building, this is a responsibility,” he remarks. “For a long time, our committees operated without proper spaces. Now, we have an environment where we can work more efficiently and serve our people better.”
The SSHB has a total floor area of 348.16 square meters, comes with six conference rooms and 14 offices for BTA officials and staff as it addresses long-standing workspace limitations that affected legislative operations.
Its design included accommodating the Parliament’s growing needs with its many conference rooms and office spaces for committee hearings, meetings, and other official functions.
Yacob said the addition of many spaces in the new building will be conducive in helping improve the conduct of legislative work, particularly in the review and refinement of proposed measures, and further support the institution as it continues to carry out its duties for the Bangsamoro people.
The Speaker noted that the additional space will be a boon to improving the conduct of legislative work, particularly in the review and refinement of proposed measures, and will further support the institution as it continues to carry out its duties.
Speaking on behalf on his ministry, MPW Director General Eng’r Danilo Ong cited the new building’s significance in translating public resources into institutional support.
“This facility reflects how public resources are translated into tangible support for our institutions,” he notes. “It strengthens how we deliver services and enables our people to be better served.”
Eng’r Nazer Ebus, MPW director for Operations and Infrastructure Services, said the project also represents a broader commitment to transparent and accessible governance.
“This building represents a shared vision — governance that is accessible, transparent, and enduring,” he points out.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 CAB, is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area (SGA) composed of new municipalities in North Cotabato but under the BARMM jurisdiction of sphere of influence.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided 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. EDD K. USMAN (✓)
_________
Sources: Office of the Speaker/MPW/Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO)