Marcos reaffirms commitment to 'normalize' Bangsamoro communities

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to normalize communities in Bangsamoro through the amnesty application of former rebels. 

''Let us continue to work together and march in unison as we implement our whole-of-society approach in our mission to uplift the lives of the people of Bangsamoro,'' Marcos said in his speech during the ceremony for the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

 ''As we embark on a new chapter towards reconciliation, which shall be bolstered by the fast-approaching start of the amnesty application by the National Amnesty Commission, I am once again conveying my commitment to the normalization of the Bangsamoro communities, especially to the MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] and the MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] members,'' he added. 

The CAB is considered as a milestone that showcases the resilience of the Bangsamoro and their ability to overcome challenges. This peace agreement signifies more than just an end to conflict as it symbolizes a commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and understanding.

Marcos said the CAB is ''a testament to our collective vision for sustainable progress and harmony, not only within the Bangsamoro region and Mindanao, but all throughout the archipelago.'' 

''We knew that peace to our people will be found in the businesses launched, in the jobs that were created, the schools, the new hospitals that were opened, the farms that were irrigated, the roads that will be constructed,'' he said.

''To us, there is only one peace, and that is when the bloody tally of war is replaced by the scoreboard of development,'' he added. 

According to Marcos, the peace agreement is only as good as the people and the parties who will implement it. 

''Because brave may be those who wage wars, but braver are those who seek peace and who win that peace. And the brave who won that peace with us are with us here today,'' he said.

For his part, Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. recalled that with the signing of CAB, the government and the MILF embarked on a historic journey ''that has brought us closer to our shared goal of fostering greater peace, development and stability in the region.''

''The path that we have taken since the agreement was forged has dramatically transformed the socioeconomic and socio political landscape of the Bangsamoro region and the rest of Mindanao,'' he said.

''It has paved the way for a future that is filled with hope and the promise of a better life for the Bangsamoro people and all Filipinos,'' Galvez said.

He pointed out that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but also the presence of justice, opportunity and understanding.

''We must nurture and defend this peace, build bridges where walls once stood, and forge a path of progress that honors the sacrifices of Bangsamoro brothers and sisters to build a better and brighter tomorrow,'' Galvez said. —AOL/KG, GMA Integrated News