The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) parliamentary system of government is a governance prototype that the rest of the Philippines should study and learn from, because it is the only system in the country where department heads are both duly elected legislators and members of the executive.
In an interview on DZRH News program The Situation Report, Maranao leader Samira Gutoc explained the structure of the BARMM parliament to a national audience unfamiliar with its unique design, saying the system makes the officials directly accountable to the voters who put them in power.
Gutoc stressed that the parliamentary form of government gives the BARMM something no other region in the Philippines has: executive officials who can be voted out if they fail to deliver.
“Napaka-unique po ng parliamento ng BARMM. Ikaw ay executive at ikaw ay lehislatura,” Gutoc said.
The Maranao leader said the Chief Minister has the leeway to appoint deputy ministers from among qualified technocrats who are not necessarily political figures, combining elected accountability at the top with professional expertise below.
“The Chief Minister has leeway na ma-appoint niya po ‘yung mga deputy na pwede pong ito ‘yung mga walang role ngayon sa ating politika,” Gutoc said.
She said the system also opens space for representation that has been absent in traditional Philippine governance: young leaders, Christian minorities, and traditional and indigenous peoples will all have seats in the 80-member parliament.
“We will see young blood, we will see our Christian minority, we will see our traditional and indigenous peoples. Hindi ‘yan nangyayari sa buong bansa,” Gutoc said.
Gutoc said the key difference from national government is accountability. Under the parliamentary system, a minister who fails cannot simply remain in office because the President protects them.
“Kapag may palpak ka, baka hindi ka na iboboto next time. Hindi katulad sa ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas na kahit palpak ka, basta okay ka sa Pangulo, pwede kang six years,” Gutoc said.
