SULU – Various Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament are pushing for a comprehensive measure to address the longstanding challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) and ensure their rights are safeguarded.
Recognizing the importance of including the voices of those directly affected, the Bangsamoro Parliament has organized a series of public consultations in the Bangsamoro region. These consultations aim to provide a platform for IDPs, civil society organizations, community leaders, and other stakeholders to contribute their insights, recommendations, and experiences related to IDP protection.
In a recent public consultation held simultaneously in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, Bangsamoro lawmakers expressed their commitment to tackle the issue of IDPs, acknowledging the urgency of aiding and protecting those forcibly displaced within the region due to conflicts, natural disasters, or other circumstances.
Issues such as inadequate access to basic services, the need for durable solutions, and the importance of ensuring the safety and security of IDPs have been prominent matters discussed in the consultation process.
Committee on Social Services and Development Chair Engr. Aida Silongan said that the Parliament is keen on developing a holistic framework that addresses not only the immediate needs of IDPs but also focuses on long-term solutions for their reintegration and empowerment.
Silongan also emphasized the urgent need to bring together various agencies and offices to effectively address the needs of IDPs and create a more comprehensive framework that ensures their protection and well-being.
In Tawi-Tawi, stakeholders are pushing for stronger data gathering, monitoring, and evaluation of IDPs, especially the undocumented Badjao IDPs.
Silongan explained that the challenge with the Badjao community lies in their constant movement from one place to another, resulting in insufficient documentation and identification.
She suggested that developing a program that encourages them to settle in one place could help address the concerns of both the Badjao and other undocumented IDPs.
She also emphasized that regardless of the reasons for their displacement, it is crucial to provide support and assistance to all IDPs.
MILF Social Welfare Committee Chair Anon Mohammad highlighted the importance of designated offices responsible for documenting IDPs and actively monitoring and evaluating their challenges.
BHRC Tawi-Tawi Provincial Director Ahmad Deeddat Kalbit suggested including their commission in the monitoring team and adopting their rules of procedure in the bill for the proper execution of data gathering and evaluation.
Kalbit mentioned conducting information dissemination and human rights education in IDP communities, particularly among vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, women, children, and the Badjao.
Meanwhile, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society Tawi-Tawi Provincial Coordinator Tony Said, from BIAF-MILF 117 base command, stressed the need for prompt data gathering to prevent IDPs from being mistakenly labeled as suspects during conflicts.
He said recognition, issuance, and replacement of documents without any delay and the provision of assistance from the local government unit officials and the government must be provided to the IDPs.
Said also emphasized the inclusion of civil society organizations (CSOs) in IDP protection mechanisms.
While the bill is still being worked on by the Bangsamoro Parliament, MP Nurredha Misuari urged the Bangsamoro constituencies to remain patient. She said that the bill, which is one of the priority measures of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, will be enacted as soon as possible.
She said that the public consultation served as a platform to engage key stakeholders, including IDPs, community leaders, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups.
The input gathered during the consultations will be thoroughly discussed by the committee, which will then prepare a committee report.
Official data released by the BARMM’s Social Services and Development Ministry indicates that over 90,000 individuals in Mindanao were displaced from their homes in 2022.
Displacements in the BARMM region were primarily caused by armed conflict, crime or violence, clan disputes, and natural disasters.
The BTA Bill No. 32 outlines the responsibilities of the Bangsamoro Government and local government units in protecting IDPs during displacement and searching for durable solutions to their displacement. (Topamax) (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)