Transcript of Sen Angara's opening statement during the BBL hearing in Mindanao

[Greetings to VIPs, audience]

The Bangsamoro Basic Law was referred to me as chairman of the committee on local government. But I couldn't think of no one else better to chair the hearings than someone as I mentioned earlier whose heart's truly for Mindanao. Ako po ay tubong Luzon, from the province of Aurora but I think, the gentleman from Bukidnon was in a better position to chair the committee hearings being that every weekend he's in Mindanao. Kaya pinalagay po natin yung sub-committee para kay Sen. Migz Zubiri.

But we also commit to be present and we commit our support, our goal and all our intellectual and emotional support for the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the BTC version.

Sinabi po ni Chairman Murad kanina na this is a very historic moment. I just like to add to that - dagdagan ko lang po kasi ang madalas nating marinig na reklamo sa mga kapatid nating taga-Mindanao, mga kapatid nating Muslim, is that, hindi sila nabibigyan ng pagkakataon para isulat o i-chart yung kanilang kasaysayan.

Sino po ang sumulat ng kasaysayan ng Mindanao at ng Bangsamoro mula noong mga nakaraang siglo -- in the past centuries? Sabi nila, mga dayuhan, mga conquerors, at mga lider na taga-Luzon kaya po dinesegnate natin si Sen. Migz Zubiri na taga-Mindanao at kailan po natin nakita ang pagkakataon na ang pangulo or three of the top four officials of the republic are from Mindanao?

The president as mentioned with his Maranao roots, the Speaker of the House the Senate President are all from Mindanao. Kaya po narito na po ang tsansa, we see the military and the MILF - dati nagbabakbakan pero ngayon po, pag nag-o-operate, magkasama na po. Sayang po ang tsansa na to build on that. BBL na lang po talaga ang nakikita ko pong resulta dito sa lahat ng efforts na ibinuhos ng mga nakaraang administrasyon, ng mga nakaraang lider at henerasyon ng Bangsamoro people.

So, on behalf of the Senate Committee on Local Government, we commit full support to this and we ask for your support also. Let us come up with a bill that is truly representing the aspirations of the Bangsamoro and the people of Mindanao para talagang yung kapayapaan, yung prosperidad at yung progreso ay makita natin sa ating henerasyon.

Maraming salamat po.