Autonomous regions of the Philippines

An autonomous region of the Philippines (Filipino: Nagsasarili na mga rehiyon ng Pilipinas) is a first-level administrative division and It has a power to control the region's culture and economy. It is a minority entity that has a higher population of a particular minority ethnic group. The Constitution of the Philippines allows for two autonomous regions: for Cordilleras and Muslim Mindanao.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was proposed in 1976 during the Ferdinand Marcos administration and created on August 1, 1989 through Republic Act No. 6734 (otherwise known as the Organic Act) in pursuance with a constitutional mandate. In 2012 President Benigno Aquino III described ARMM as a "failed experiment". He proposed an autonomous region named Bangsamoro to replace ARMM with the agreement between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

A plebiscite was held in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, 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 in the cities of Cotabato, Davao, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Koronadal, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga to determine if their residents wished to be part of the ARMM. Of these areas, only four provinces (Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) voted in favor of inclusion in the new autonomous region. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990 in Cotabato City, which was designated as its provisional capital.

The region is led by Mujiv S. Hataman.

Cordilleras

The Cordillera Administrative Region administers the area that was designated for an autonomous region. Two plebiscites were held in the Cordilleras, the latest in 1998, to create an autonomous region and both failed. There continues to be bills filed in the Philippine Congress to establish an autonomous region in the Cordilleras but none of the efforts have succeeded.^[1]

Bangsamoro

On October 15, 2012,^[2] a preliminary agreement was signed by the Government of the Philippines' chief negotiator Marvic Leonen, MILF Peace Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal and Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed along with President Aquino, Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia, MILF chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim and Secretary-General Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at Malacañang Palace in Manila.^{[3][4] [5]}

See also

• Administrative divisions of the Philippines
• Provinces of the Philippines

References

1. "Cordillera Solons expressed views on regional autonomy". National Economic and Development Authority - Cordillera Administrative Region. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
2. CALONZO, ANDREO (October 7, 2012). "Govt, MILF agree to create 'Bangsamoro' to replace ARMM". GMA News. Retrieved May 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
3. "Framework Agreement of the Bangsamoro" (PDF). Government of the Philippines. October 20, 2012. Retrieved May 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
4. "Gov't, MILF seal preliminary peace pact". October 15, 2012. Retrieved May 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)