We are one with our Muslim brothers and sisters in celebrating the Bangsamoro Foundation Day, with this year’s theme “Moral Governance: Building Strong Foundations for a Better Bangsamoro.”

As part of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s legacy to uphold and promote economic development and peace and security throughout our nation, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was created through the President’s signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2018 and its ratification by a plebiscite in 2019.

As we celebrate its Foundation Day, may we continue to successfully pursue the moral governance it seeks to realize, governance that is for the Filipino people and by the Filipino people, regardless of religious beliefs.

And may our integrity and accountability further translate into ending graft and corruption so that we can faithfully and fully serve the Filipino people and equitably benefit everyone.

With the current administrative transition in the region, may this mechanism continue to improve the peace and security in BARMM in order to promote its economic activities and harness its full socio-economic potential to contribute to the overall development and inclusive growth of our nation, especially as we recover as one nation from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We wish for a meaningful and solemn celebration of this foundation day.