COTABATO CITY — There is a provincial political party now expanding in the six provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), aiming to address economic woes and underdevelopment in local communities.
The Serbisyong Inklusibo, Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), organized together in 2002 by a group of political leaders, members of different business blocs and peace advocacy groups in Lanao del Sur, started reaching out last week to representatives of various sectors on the island province of Basilan.
“We are expanding it now to other provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong, Jr. told reporters on Sunday.
It is the same political organization of the late Mamintal M. Adiong, Sr., who had served as governor and congressman in the province.
“The SIAP is keen on promoting, via political interventions, the partnership of local government units and the local communities on massive propagation of crops, abaca and bamboo as good sources of income for our people. These can bail them out from poverty,” said Mr. Adiong.
Members of SIAP who belong to the business sector in Lanao del Sur said the socio-economic goals of the party is something that can attract prospective members in BARMM’s Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces.
Last week, SIAP representatives from Lanao del Sur and sectoral leaders in Basilan held a dialogue in Zamboanga City on how they can establish domains for the party on the island province as well. — John Felix M. Unson