Six years after the signing of the landmark Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), Senator Migz Zubiri unveiled The Road to Peace: Crafting the Bangsamoro Organic Law, a coffee table book chronicling the legislative journey of one of the most significant milestones in Philippine history.
The launch took place at the Old Senate Session Hall in the National Museum of Fine Arts, a fitting tribute to the historical significance of the subject of the book.
The creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) marked a historic turning point for the nation.
Through photographs and narratives, Zubiri’s book captures the intensive hearings, debates and landmark visits to Camp Darapanan and Ground Zero of the Marawi Siege that paved the way for the law’s passage.
“Being from Mindanao, the BOL is one of my proudest legislative achievements,” said the native of Bukidnon who spearheaded the passage of the law.
“Even other countries like Thailand are now looking at the BOL and the Bangsamoro region as models for their own peacebuilding initiatives.”
“It is a legislative achievement that we must all be proud of. Even other countries like Thailand are now looking at the BOL and the Bangsamoro region as models for their own peacebuilding initiatives,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
Signed into law in 2018, the BOL granted greater autonomy to the Bangsamoro region, addressing decades of armed conflict and fostering self-governance.
This September, the Supreme Court upheld the BOL’s constitutionality, reinforcing its status as a cornerstone for peace and stability in the region.
The veteran legislator emphasized the law’s transformative impact, saying, “The passage and ratification of the BOL marked such an important turn in the development of the Bangsamoro region”.
“This book is a record of all the work that went into the law and the triumph of peace that it represents,” the senator continued.
The book highlights the broader significance of the BOL as a model for conflict resolution.
“The BOL is our most effective political tool thus far to address the Bangsamoro people’s struggle for self-determination. It is a testament to what is possible when we commit to peace and governance,” he explained.
Through The Road to Peace, Zubiri seeks to honor the people and efforts that contributed to the BOL’s success.
“I want everyone who was involved in the BOL to see themselves in these pages,” he said.
“I want them to look back on those long days and nights that we devoted to this law and feel proud of what we achieved,” Zubiri stressed.
For those who were not part of the legislative journey, the book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the process.
“I want people to see just what it was like, and to hopefully be inspired by what we were able to do for the Bangsamoro region,” he added.
The BOL was enacted in the aftermath of the Marawi Siege, a traumatic chapter in Mindanao’s history. The law was envisioned as a foundation for long-term peace and progress in the Bangsamoro region.
Zubiri noted that the BOL’s impact extends beyond the Philippines.
“The Bangsamoro region is now being looked at as a model by other countries, proving that political solutions can pave the way for peace,” he said.
The launch of The Road to Peace highlighted the unified effort required to achieve this milestone. Zubiri credited lawmakers, stakeholders, and the Bangsamoro people for their contributions to the BOL’s success.
“It speaks to our past but also to our future as a nation committed to peace and progress.”
“This book celebrates the triumph of peace in the Bangsamoro region, made possible by the BOL,” he said. “It speaks to our past but also to our future as a nation committed to peace and progress.”
The launch was attended by former and incumbent legislators and officials involved in the crafting of the BOL and in the continued peace efforts in the Bangsamoro region, including Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sec. Carlito Galvez, former Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Win Gatchalian, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Grace Poe, Sec. Sonny Angara, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Bato dela Rosa, Sen. Cynthia Villar, Sen. Mark Villar, former Sen. Bam Aquino, former Reps. Ruby Sahali, Joey Zubiri, Manuel Zubiri, and Celso Lobregat, former Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, LtGen. Roy Galido, Comm. Lemuel Espartinez, Gen. Rommel Marbil, Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua, 51 Members of the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and media personalities.
