Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (English), abbreviated ARMM ("Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao") was a region in the south of the Philippines with a majority Muslim population. The ARMM was the only Philippine region to have partial autonomy , its own government and parliament. The seat of the regional administration was Cotabato City . In January 2019, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao , abbreviated BARMM, or Bangsamoro for short, was formed from the ARMM .
The region was divided into the provinces of Basilan , Lanao del Sur , Maguindanao , Sulu and Tawi-Tawi .
The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which the incumbent Philippine President Rodrigo Duerte signed in July 2018, provided for the creation of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region , which was to be based on extensive self-government for the Muslims in Mindanao and to replace the previously existing ARMM. With the formation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in January 2019, which has greater powers of self-government than the previous ARMM, the hope for a lasting pacification of the conflicts in Mindanao is linked.
geography
The region was divided into two geographic areas - parts of mainland Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago .
The provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao are located on the mainland of Mindanao and are mainly located in the central part of the Gulf of Moro . In contrast, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi belong to the Sulu archipelago, which is located in the extreme southwest of the country, below the Zamboanga peninsula .
The total area of the region was 11,638 km².
Demographics and language
The ARMM provinces together had a population of 3,781,387 people.
The main dialects in the region are Banguingui, Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug, Yakan and Sama.
Administrative division
The ARMM was divided into five provinces with a total of 105 independently administered municipalities and two cities. These are in turn divided into 2469 barangays (districts). The province consisted of a total of eight congressional districts.
Provinces
| province | Capital | Population (2007) |
Area (km²) |
Population density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basilan | Isabela City | 408,520 | 1,234.2 | 331 |
| Lanao del Sur | Marawi City | 1,138,544 | 3,872.9 | 294 |
| Maguindanao | Shariff Aguak | 710.829 | 2,514 | 282.7 |
| Sulu | Jolo | 849,670 | 1,600.4 | 531 |
| Tawi-Tawi | Panglima Sugala | 450.346 | 1,087.4 | 414 |
- ↑ The numbers do not include Isabela City .
- ↑ Part of the Zamboanga Peninsula District .
- ↑ The numbers do not include Cotabato City
In 2006 the province of Shariff Kabunsuan was founded with the capital Datu Odin Sinsuat . In 2008, however, the Supreme Court invalidated the creation as only Congress but not the ARMM can create new provinces.
Cities
| city | province | Population (2007) |
Area (km²) |
Population density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marawi City | Lanao del Sur | 177.391 | 87.55 | 2,026.2 |
| Lamitan City | Basilan | 82,074 | 354.45 | 231.6 |
The Christian town of Isabela City is located on the Muslim-majority island of Basilan , but it is politically assigned to the IX Zamboanga Peninsula .
history
For a long period of Filipino history, the region and large parts of Mindanao were a separate area and separate from the rest of the country. This enabled the development of an independent culture and identity. The region has been the traditional home of the Muslim Filipinos since the 15th century, i.e. even before the arrival of the Spaniards on the island state, who only began to colonize large parts of the Philippines from 1565 . Muslim missionaries reached Tawi-Tawi around 1380 and began converting the local population to Islam . The Sultanate of Sulu was founded around 1457 and shortly thereafter the Sultanates of Maguindanao and Buayan .
At the time when most of the Philippines were under Spanish rule, the sultanates successfully defended their independence and repeatedly challenged the Spanish colonial power by raids on Christian-dominated coastal cities in the north. At the same time they successfully fought back the recurring incursions of the Spanish troops into their territory. Until the last quarter of the 19th century the Spanish regime was hardly noticed by the Sultanate of Sulu and so these areas remained outside the control of the Spanish colonial power. These were only represented by isolated military bases and garrisons or civil settlements in Zamboanga and Cotabato City . This condition persisted until the Spanish defeat in the Spanish-American War .
History of the ARMM
Due to the rich natural resources that Mindanao is home to, more and more Christian groups invaded from the northern islands of the Philippines to settle in the fertile and lucrative areas. This made the islands a melting pot of different ethnic groups, cultures, traditions and religions. This development was peaceful for a long time, but changed when unscrupulous businessmen and politicians took advantage of the poor education of the population and made a profit from it.
In February 1973, the problem escalated into an armed conflict between the Moros National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Philippine Army . Thousands of innocent people lost their lives or were displaced in the course of years of armed conflict.
On July 7, 1975, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed the "Presidential Decree No. 742" and the "Letter Of Instruction 290" which formed the Western and Central regions of Mindanao and the Office of the Regional Commissioner (ORC, German : Office of the Regional Commissioner) in both regions. Even so, the armed conflict between the MNFL and the military did not stop.
The situation prompted an intervention by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which resulted in the signing of the Tripoli Accord between the Philippine government and the MNFL on December 23, 1976.
In connection with this agreement, Ferdinand Marcos signed the "Presidential Proclamation No. 1628" on March 25, 1977 to form the "Autonomous Region in Southern Philippines". However, this was not accepted by most members of the Muslim fighters.
On July 25, 1979, a Regional Autonomous Government was established in the West and Central Mindanao regions. But even this action could not dissuade the fighters from their political ideals.
In 1986, the new President Corazon C. Aquino took a much more energetic approach to solving the problem in Mindanao and initiating peace negotiations. The Jeddah Accord, signed by the Philippine government and the leadership of the MNFL on February 3, 1987, required both parties to hold talks on the full establishment of greater regional autonomy.
In 1988 the text of the ordinance was finalized and submitted to the Philippine Congress for discussion and approval.
Foundation of the ARMM
The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao District was first set up on August 1, 1989 under Republic Act No. 6734.
A referendum was held in the provinces of Basilan , Cotabato , Davao del Sur , Lanao del Norte , Lanao del Sur , Maguindanao , Palawan , South Cotabato , Sultan Kudarat , Sulu , Tawi-Tawi , Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur and also in the Cities of Cotabato City , Dapitan City , Dipolog City , General Santos City , Iligan City , Marawi City , Pagadian City , Puerto Princesa City and Zamboanga City to find out whether the residents are in favor of their province or city joining the ARMM.
The provinces of Lanao del Sur , Maguindanao , Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were the only ones to vote in favor of integration into the new autonomous region. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990 in Cotabato City, the provisional district capital.
On September 2, 1996, the MNFL and the Philippine government signed the final peace accord that resulted in the election of MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari as regional governor of the ARMM.
In 2001, a new law was passed to allow the expansion of the ARMM to include areas whose provinces previously refused to join. Since this innovation, however, only Marawi City and Basilan , albeit without their capital, Isabela City , have subsequently joined the region.
On July 18, 2008, the "peace advisor" to Philippine President Gloria Arroyo , Hermogenes Esperon, announced a further expansion of the ARMM based on an agreement reached between the Philippine government and the Islamic Liberation Front of the Moros . The agreement, which was decided after almost six years of dialogue, gives the ARMM responsibility for a further 712 localities on the island of Mindanao, as well as wider political and economic powers. However, negotiations to conclude this agreement are not yet fully completed.
Political structure
executive
The ARMM was headed by a regional governor. This governor and his lieutenant governor, like local leaders, were directly elected. Regional ordinances were drawn up by the regional assembly, drawn up by deputies who were also elected by direct vote.
The regional elections normally took place one year after the main elections (national and local), depending on the legislation of the Philippine Congress. The regional leaders had a fixed term of three years, which could be extended by an ordinance on the Philippine Congress.
| Term of office | governor | Political party | Deputy Governor | Political party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-1993 | Zacaria Candao | Lakas-CMD | Benjamin Loong | Lakas-CMD |
| 1993-1996 | Lininding Pangandaman | Lakas-CMD | Nabil Tan | Lakas-CMD |
| 1996-2001 | Misuari only | Lakas-CMD | Guimid P. Matalam | Lakas-CMD |
| 2001 | Alvarez Isnaji | Lakas-CMD | ||
| 2001-2005 | Parouk S. Hussin | Lakas-CMD | Mahid M. Mutilan | Lakas-CMD |
| 2005-2009 | Zaldy Ampatuan | Lakas-CMD | Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong | Lakas-CMD |
| 2009-2011 | Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong | Lakas-CMD | Reggie M. Sahali Generals | Lakas-CMD |
| since 2011 | Mujiv Hataman | Liberal party | Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman II | Liberal party |
legislative branch
The ARMM has a unicameral system . The Regional Legislative Assembly chaired by a speaker. It is made up of three members from each congressional district. The current membership is 24, with 6 MPs from Lanao del Sur including Marawi City , 6 from Maguindanao , 6 from Sulu , 3 from Basilan and 3 from Tawi-Tawi .
economy
The ARMM has a gross national product per capita of only PhP 3,433 ( Philippine Peso ) in 2005, 75.8% less than the national average of PhP 14,186. It is the lowest of the 17 counties in the Philippines. The second lowest per capita income is twice that of the ARMM.
The district's poverty rate is 45.4% in 2003, double the Philippine average of 24.4%. A remarkable development has been achieved in the fight against poverty , which has been reduced by 10.5% compared to the 2000 figures. Only the Caraga district has a higher level of poverty in 2003. Lanao del Sur has reduced its poverty level by as much as 26.9%, which means the 12th place of the most successful provinces in this category. Tawi-Tawi and Sulu reduced their numbers by 18.0 and 17.6% respectively. Nevertheless, in the year 2000, all four provinces of the ARMM were among the ten poorest in the Philippines. In 2003 Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were able to work their way out of these ten. Only Maguindanao remained in this list as the second poorest province or the one with the second highest poverty rate in the entire Philippines.
| province | Incidence of poverty | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2000 | |||
| percent | rank | percent | rank | |
| Basilan | 33.5 | 40 | 31.5 | 31 |
| Lanao del Sur | 37.6 | 56 | 54.7 | 73 |
| Maguindanao | 60.4 | 78 | 59.3 | 76 |
| Sulu | 45.1 | 67 | 58.9 | 75 |
| Tawi-Tawi | 34.6 | 49 | 52.4 | 70 |
- ↑ 79 provinces in 2003
- ↑ 77 provinces with data in 2000
- ↑ not part of ARMM in 2000. 2000 figures include Isabela City .
- ↑ 2003 figures do not include Isabela City .
- ↑ Numbers do not include Cotabato City .
Regardless of its autonomous nature, the ARMM receives an estimated 98% of its operating tax revenue from the national government of the Philippines and is now charged with generating viable sources of additional tax revenue. Perhaps this is why the per capita expenditure on such important services as education and infrastructure is the lowest in the Philippines and the five provinces of the ARMM remain in the lowest echelons of economic development within the country.
For example, the per-student spending on education is less than $ 100, with the result that ARMM college students perform far worse than provinces in other regions on standardized proficiency tests across the country.
Cultural heritage
The local Maguindanao and other local Muslim / non-Muslim groups have a remarkable and fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang music ; A special gong music that has its roots in both Muslim and non-Muslim population groups in the southern Philippines.
A set of gongs is embedded in a horizontally erected board and played with two wooden mallets.
Further information
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Duterte signs Bangsamoro Organic Law , philstar.com, July 27, 2018
- ↑ Senators hope Bangsamoro Organic Law will bring peace to Mindanao , philstar.com, July 27, 2018
- ↑ 2015 Population Counts Summary. In: psa.gov.ph. Retrieved June 4, 2016 .
- ↑ William B. Depasupil: Shariff Kabunsuan a province no more . In: The Manila Times. 18 July 2008 (English) ( Memento from 1 April 2009 at the Internet Archive )
- ^ Philippineupdate.com: Mindanao Peace Process by Fr. Eliseo R. Mercado, Jr., OMI. , Accessed May 6, 2011
- ↑ Republic Act No. 9054 (PDF; 250 kB) ( Memento from April 17, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7512401.stm
- ↑ nscb.gov.ph: NSCB - 2005 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) - Per Capita Gross Regional Domestic Product , accessed May 6, 2011
- ↑ nscb.gov.ph: Which provinces did best in reducing poverty? , Accessed May 6, 2011
- ↑ nscb.gov.ph: Annual Per Capita Poverty Thresholds, Poverty Incidence and Magnitude of Poor Families: 2000 and 2003 , accessed May 6, 2011
Coordinates: 7 ° 18 ' N , 124 ° 18' E