ARMM to mark last anniversary

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur: No matter how splendid 29th anniversary celebrations of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) would be, it is a reality that sadness lingers on among the regional government constituents, as the celebrations will be the last in all the years of ARMM existence. 

The ARMM was created by Republic Act No. 6734 which was signed into Law by the Late President Cory C. Aquino on August 1, 1989. 

Plebiscite was conducted in the proposed area of ARMM on November 17, 1989 and the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur (except Marawi City), Sulu and Tawi-Tawi voted to join. 

The Region was strengthened and expanded through ratification of Republic Act No. 9054, amending for the purpose of Republic Act No. 6734, entitled "An Act Providing for the ARMM" as amended in September 2001. 

The plebiscite paved the way to the inclusion of the province of Basilan and the City of Marawi as part of ARMM. 

The ARMM will cease to exist as soon as the newly enacted Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that is replacing it with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) takes effect after a plebiscite among affected areas is held in January 2019 . 

Indeed, the ARMM today underwent a series of structural and systemic modifications. And with the BOL and the proposed federalism trending, ARMM will be abolished once BARMM is approved and ratified, or the country shifts to federalism and takes place, whichever comes first. - RSP