MANILA, Philippines – Almost 9 months after the inauguration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), members of the critical Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) met for the first time in Davao City.

The meeting was held on Tuesday, December 16, at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City, according to a Department of Finance (DOF) press release.

The IGRB is created by the Bangsamoro Organic Law as a venue for the new Bangsamoro government and national government to “coordinate and resolve issues on intergovernmental relations through regular consultation and continuing negotiation in a non-adversarial manner.” (READ: Can’t afford to fail: Bangsamoro region weathers birth pains)

The IGRB is co-chaired by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, representing the government side, and Bangsamoro Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, representing the BARMM.

Below is the composition of the IGRB.

BARMM side:

• Co-chair: Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal 
• Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong Executive  Secretary Abdulraof Macacua
• Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Asnin Pendatun
• Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo
• Public Works Minister Eduard Guerra
• Social Services Minister Raissa Jajurie
• Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform Minister Mohammad Yacob Fisheries
• Transportation and Communications Minister Dickson Hermoso 
• Representative of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy

National government:

• Co-chair: Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III
• Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr
• Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia
• Interior Secretary Eduardo Año
• Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
• Public Works Secretary Mark Villar
• Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi
• Agriculture Secretary William Dar
• Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
• Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles

Galvez’ offices, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, was designated as the IGRB secretariat.

Long wait

Many Bangsamoro advocates had called on Duterte to immediately form  the IGRB given its important role in ensuring a smooth transition from the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to BARMM and in minimizing misunderstandings between the national government and the new regional government.

Back in July, Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim had already chosen BARMM’s representatives to the IGRB. Duterte, however, had not yet named the national government’s representatives.

Robert Maulana Marohombsar Alonto, a member of the now-defunct Bangsamoro Transition Commission, had said an IGRB is “indispensable” in preventing a “collision course” between the BARMM and the national government.

Bangsamoro Parliament member Don Loong had previously told Rappler that the lack of an IGRB in the past months led to confusion and some tension.

Despite the long wait, Dominguez was full of optimism about the IGRB at their first meeting.

“I am confident that we will be able to thresh out the protocols and procedures as we go along. What is important is that we commence with the work of this vital institutional mechanism as well as move forward with the consolidation of all the institutions of regional autonomy,” Dominguez said, as quoted in the DOF press release. – Rappler.com