MANILA — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Monday said Malacanang continues to coordinate with the leaders of Congress for the timely passage of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
”We know that as time passes by, the allotted time to achieve this purpose continue to shorten,” Coloma told the media in a press briefing.
Coloma said the government will continue to acknowledge the importance of pursuing the peace process particularly in Mindanao.
Last weekend, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte reportedly admitted that time is running out to pass the BBL in the House of Representatives.
The House leadership has decided to hold plenary sessions until Friday to give them more time to tackle the BBL.
The BBL has been identified as priority bill by both the House and the Senate.
In the Senate, Senators Pia Cayetano, Teofisto ‘TG’ Guingona III and Loren Legarda have already interpellated Senate committee on local government chairman Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
Marcos said the Senate is hoping to finish the interpellation within the month in time for the filing of certificate of candidacy next month.
The BBL is a codification of the peace agreements signed between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), that if signed into law, would lead to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region that will replace Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).