Maranao federal state movement to be launched
In the light of the government-led movement to change the form of government from unitary to a federal system, a new movement is surfacing in the Maranao homeland aimed to have a separate federal state for the People of the Lake.
MASIDING NOOR YAHYA
Marawi City, Lanao del SurApril 2, 2017
It was not clear whether the proposed federal state will comprise the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur which were once encompassing the lone province of Lanao with Dansalan, now Marawi City, as capital.
The Maranao Federal State will be launched by a group of Maranao professionals and traditional leaders, mostly coming from non-government organizations, in the last week of this month in the Islamic City of Marawi.
In their radio programs, Atty. Bayan G. Balt, president of ARCAPP, and Marawi Sultan Sobair Mustapha are inviting all professionals, farmers, teachers, Ulama, CSOs/NGOs and other sectors to join their call and campaign for a Maranao federal state that they will launch on April 29, 2017 in Marawi City.
Balt and Mustapha said this is one answer and solution to the Lanao problem,
In Marawi and Lanao del Sur, federalism is one popular topic in local media forums.
In Iligan City and Lanao del Norte, such leaders as Arnold Garbanzos fight for the establishment of a federal Lanao and even called Lanao as the crown jewel of Mindanao.
Maranao federal advocates look at federalism as best solution in the multi-faceted problems engulfing Mindanao. TNRS
