President Bongbong Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address has sparked optimism among residents of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the Soccsksargen Region.
“Happy to know that President Marcos has a huge part of his heart for Bangsamoro,” expressed Andong Salman, a jeepney driver, in the vernacular according to a press release of the Presidential Communications Office.
Salman was particularly pleased with the government’s focus on reducing the prices of basic commodities.
In Polomolok, South Cotabato, Angelika Sunio, an aspiring public school teacher, celebrated the President’s plans to support public school teachers. “Programs for teachers are great. Glad to know this is one of the priorities of this administration,” Sunio said.
Sunio added she was impressed by the promise that no teacher would remain at the Teacher 1 level indefinitely.
Salvador Sanchez, a farmer in M’lang, North Cotabato, welcomed the President’s commitment to improving the Malitubog-Maridagao (Malmar) irrigation project. “The Malmar project currently serves 7,000 hectares of farmland. With Phase 2, another 10,000 farmers in Maguindanao and North Cotabato will benefit,” Sanchez noted.
“I am happy that the President mentioned extensively the peace agreement with the MILF and the gains of the Mindanao peace process, including the granting of amnesty to former combatants,” a former combatant of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), now a peace advocate, expressed hope for the completion of the Mindanao peace process.
