The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Filipino: Rehiyong Autonomo sa

Muslim Mindanao) (abbreviated ARMM) is an Autonomous region of the Philippines,

located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of five
predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan (except Isabela City), Lanao del
Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own
government. The regional capital is at Cotabato City, although this city is outside of
its jurisdiction.

The ARMM previously included the province of Shariff Kabunsuan until 16 July 2008,
when Shariff Kabunsuan ceased to exist as a province after the Supreme Court of
the Philippines declared the "Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 201", which created it,
unconstitutional in Sema v. Comelec.[2]

On 7 October 2012, President Benigno Aquino III said that the government aimed to
have peace in the autonomous region and that it will become known as
Bangsamoro,[3] a compound of bangsa (nation) and Moro.[4]

Contents [hide]
1 Geography
2 History
2.1 ARMM's precursors
2.2 Establishment of the ARMM
2.3 Expansion of ARMM
2.3.1 Prelude to Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain
2.3.2 The deal
2.3.3 Challenge on MOA-AD
2.3.4 Aftermath
3 Demographics
4 Comparisons
5 Political divisions
6 Government
6.1 ARMM organizational structure
6.1.1 Executive
6.1.1.1 Executive council

6.1.2 Legislative
6.2 ARMM powers and basic principles
6.3 Provincial Governors
6.4 ARMM voter registration
7 Economy
8 Cultural heritage
9 See also
10 References
11 External links
Geography[edit]
The ARMM spans two geographical areas: Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao (except
Cotabato City) in south western Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan
(except Isabela City), Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago. The region covers
a total of 12,288 km.[5]

History[edit]
For the most part of Philippines' history, the region and most of Mindanao have
been a separate territory, which enabled it to develop its own culture and identity.
The region has been the traditional homeland of Muslim Filipinos since the 15th
century, even before the arrival of the Spanish who began to colonize most of the
Philippines in 1565. Muslim missionaries arrived in Tawi-Tawi in 1380 and started the
conversion of the native population to Islam. In 1457, the Sultanate of Sulu was
founded, and not long after that the sultanates of Maguindanao and Buayan were
also established. At the time when most of the Philippines was under Spanish rule,
these sultanates maintained their independence and regularly challenged Spanish
domination of the Philippines by conducting raids on Spanish coastal towns in the
north and repulsing repeated Spanish incursions in their territory. It was not until the
last quarter of the 19th century that the Sultanate of Sulu formally recognized
Spanish sovereignty, but these areas remained loosely controlled by the Spanish as
their sovereignty was limited to military stations and garrisons and pockets of
civilian settlements in Zamboanga and Cotabato,[6] until they had to abandon the
region as a consequence of their defeat in the SpanishAmerican War.

The Moros had a history of resistance against Spanish, American, and Japanese rule
for over 400 years. The violent armed struggle against the Japanese, Filipinos,
Spanish, and Americans is considered by current Moro Muslim leaders as part of the
four centuries long "national liberation movement" of the Bangsamoro (Moro
Nation).[7] The 400-year-long resistance against the Japanese, Americans, and

Spanish by the Moro Muslims persisted and morphed into their current war for
independence against the Philippine state.[8]

In 1942, during the early stages of Pacific War of the Second World War, troops of
the Japanese Imperial Forces invaded and overran Mindanao and the native Moro
Muslims waged an insurgency against the Japanese. Three years later, in 1945,
combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth Army troops liberated
Mindanao, and with the help of local guerrilla units ultimately defeated the Japanese
forces occupying the region.

ARMM's precursors[edit]
In the 1970s, escalating hostilities between government forces and the Moro
National Liberation Front prompted Ferdinand Marcos to issue a proclamation
forming an Autonomous Region in the Southern Philippines. This was however,
turned down by a plebiscite. In 1979, Batas Pambansa No. 20 created a Regional
Autonomous Government in the Western and Central Mindanao regions.[9]

Establishment of the ARMM[edit]

The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao region was first created on August 1,
1989 through Republic Act No. 6734 (otherwise known as the Organic Act) in
pursuance with a constitutional mandate to provide for an autonomous area in
Muslim Mindanao. A plebiscite was held in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao
del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, South Cotabato,
Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur; and
in the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Koronadal, Iligan,
Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga to determine if their residents
wished to be part of the ARMM. Of these areas, only four provinces - Lanao del Sur,
Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi - voted in favor of inclusion in the new
autonomous region. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990[10]
in Cotabato City, which was designated as its provisional capital.

Expansion of ARMM[edit]
Prelude to Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain[edit]
In 2001 a new law, Republic A 9054, was passed for the expansion of the ARMM. In
a plebiscite, Marawi City (situated within Lanao del Sur) and the province of Basilan
(excluding Isabela City) opted to be integrated into the region.[11] RA 9054 lapsed
into law, without the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo[clarification
needed].

In 2006, a new province was carved out of Maguindanao: Shariff Kabunsuan, the 6th
province of ARMM, joining Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan.
Massive protests, however, have greeted the move[not verified in body] of the GRP
and MILF panels in signing a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain as a
majority of the Local Government Units where these Barangays are connected have
already opted not to join the ARMM in two instances, 1989 and 2001.

The deal[edit]
On July 18, 2008, Hermogenes Esperon, "peace advisor" to former Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in his talks with Moro Islamic Liberation Front
rebels in Malaysia, revealed the planned extension of the region.[12] The deal,
negotiated in secret talks with the MILF and subject to approval, would give the
ARMM control of an additional 712 villages on the south west portion of Mindanao,
as well as broad political and economic powers.[12]

Challenge on MOA-AD[edit]
Main article: Sema v. COMELEC
On July 16, 2008 Sema v. COMELEC voided the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan,
declaring unconstitutional a section in RA 9054 which granted the ARMM Regional
Assembly the power to create provinces and cities. Then, on August 4, 2008, after
local officials from North Cotabato asked the Court to block the signing of the
agreement between GRP and MILF, the Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order
against the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOAAD) between the Philippine government and the MILF rebels in Malaysia.[13]
Several lawmakers had filed petitions with the Supreme Court to stop the Philippine
government from concluding the MOA-AD due to lack of transparency and for MILF's
failure to cut ties with the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah,
which aims to establish a pan-Islamic state in Southeast Asia using MILF camps in
south western Mindanao as training grounds and staging points for attacks.[14]

On October 14, 2008, the Supreme Court of the Philippines, by a vote of 87,
declared contrary to law and the Constitution the Ancestral Domain Aspect (MOAAD) of the Tripoli Agreement on Peace of 2001 between the Government of the
Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).[15]
[16] The 89-page decision, written by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales
ruled: In sum, the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process committed grave
abuse of discretion when he failed to carry out the pertinent consultation process,
as mandated by EO No. 3, RA 7160, and RA 8371. The furtive process by which the
MOA-AD was designed and crafted runs contrary to and in excess of the legal
authority, and amounts to a whimsical, capricious, oppressive, arbitrary and
despotic exercise thereof. It illustrates a gross evasion of positive duty and a virtual
refusal to perform the duty enjoined.[17][18][19]

Aftermath[edit]
Main article: Sema v. COMELEC Aftermath
Demographics[edit]

Coastal village in Basilan

Population census of ARMM
Year

Pop.

1990 2,108,061

2000 2,803,045

+33.0%

2010 3,256,140

+16.2%

Source: National Statistics Office[1]

Comparisons[edit]
Body Flag of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ARMM.png Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao
Bangsamoro
Philippines (Central
Government only)
Constitutional Document Organic Act Bangsamoro Basic Law
Philippines

Constitution of the

Head of State / Territory

Philippines

Regional Governor of ARMM

President of the

Head of Government

Regional Governor Chief Minister

Wli

Executive
ARMM Executive Department
Executive Department

Bangsamoro Executive Department

Legislative Regional Legislative Assembly

Senate and Congress

Bangsamoro Assembly

Judiciary
None (under Philippine government)
Supreme Court

Bicameral:

To be determined (Planned)

Legal Supervisory
or Prosecution
None (under Philippine government)
Department of Justice
Police Force(s)

Philippine National Police;

under the Central Government Philippine National Police

Military

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP);

Planned (before 2016)

under the Central Government Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

Currency

Philippine peso

Official Language(s)
Foreign relations

Philippine peso

Filipino and English Filipino and English

None full rights

Shariah law Yes, for Muslims only

None, secular law

Political divisions[edit]

Political map of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Province

Capital

Area

(km) Population
(2010)[1]

Population density

(per km)
Basilana

Isabela Cityb

1,145.3[20]
293,322
256.1
Lanao del Sur

Marawi

3,872.9[21]
933,260
241.0
Maguindanaoc

Shariff Aguak

5,970.5[22]
944,718
158.2
Sulu

Jolo

1,600.4[23]
718,290
448.8
Tawi-Tawi
1,087.4[24]

Bongao

366,550
337.1
NOTES:
^a Figures exclude Isabela City.
^b Rejected inclusion into the ARMM, still part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region.
^c Figures exclude the independent component city of Cotabato.
Government[edit]
ARMM organizational structure[edit]

The Office of the Bangsamoro People, the seat of the ARMM regional government in
Cotabato City[25]
Executive[edit]
The region is headed by a Regional Governor. The Regional Governor and Regional
Vice Governor are elected directly like regular local executives. Regional ordinances
are created by the Regional Assembly, composed of Assemblymen, also elected by
direct vote. Regional elections are usually held one year after general elections
(national and local) depending on what legislation from the Philippine Congress.
Regional officials have a fixed term of three years, which can be extended by an act
of Congress.

The Regional Governor is the chief executive of the regional government, and is
assisted by a cabinet not exceeding 10 members. He appoints the members of the
cabinet, subject to confirmation by the Regional Legislative Assembly. He has
control of all the regional executive commissions, agencies, boards, bureaus and
offices.

Executive council[edit]
The executive council advises the Regional Governor on matters of governance of
the autonomous region. It is composed of the regional governor, 1 regional vice
governor, and 3 deputy regional governors (each representing the Christians, the
Muslims, and the indigenous cultural communities). The regional governor and
regional vice governor have a 3-year term, maximum of 3 terms; deputies' terms
are coterminous with the term of the regional governor who appointed them.

Term Governor
19901993

Party Vice Governor

Party

Zacaria Candao

Lakas-NUCD Benjamin Loong

Lakas-NUCD

19931996
Lininding Pangandaman

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Nabil Tan

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP

19962001
Nurallaj Misuari

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Guimid P. Matalam Lakas-NUCD-UMDP

2001
Alvarez Isnajia

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP

20012005
Parouk S. Hussin

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Mahid M. Mutilan

Lakas-NUCD-UMDP

20052009
Zaldy Ampatuan
Kampi CMD

Lakas Kampi CMD Ansaruddin-Abdulmalik A. Adiong

Lakas

20092011
Ansaruddin-Abdulmalik A. Adionga
Generalea Lakas Kampi CMD

Lakas Kampi CMD Reggie M. Sahali-

2011Present
Mujiv S. Hatamanb Liberal

Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman IIb

Liberal

^a Acting capacity
^b Officer-in-charge until June 30, 2013.
Legislative[edit]
The ARMM has a unicameral Regional Legislative Assembly headed by a Speaker. It
is composed of three members for every congressional district. The current
membership is 24, where 6 are from Lanao del Sur including Marawi City, 6 from
Maguindanao, 6 from Sulu, 3 from Basilan and 3 from Tawi-Tawi.

The Regional Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of the ARMM

government. The regular members (3 members/district) and sectoral
representatives, have 3-year terms; maximum of 3 consecutive terms. It exercises
legislative power in the autonomous region, except on the following matters: foreign
affairs, national defense and security, postal service, coinage and fiscal and
monetary policies, administration of justice, quarantine, customs and tariff,
citizenship, naturalization, immigration and deportation, general auditing, national
elections, maritime, land and air transportation, communications, patents,
trademarks, trade names and copyrights, foreign trade, and may legislate on
matters covered by the Shariah, the law governing Muslims.

ARMM powers and basic principles[edit]

RA 9054 provides that ARMM "shall remain an integral and inseparable part of the
national territory of the Republic." The President exercises general supervision over
the Regional Governor. The Regional Government has the power to create its own
sources of revenues and to levy taxes, fees, and charges, subject to Constitutional
provisions and the provisions of RA 9054. The Shariah applies only to Muslims; its
applications are limited by pertinent constitutional provisions (prohibition against
cruel and unusual punishment).[9][1][broken citation]

Provincial Governors[edit]
Basilan - Gov. Jum Akbar (Liberal)
Lanao del Sur - Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong (Liberal)
Maguindanao - Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu (Liberal)
Sulu - Gov. Abdusakur Tan (Liberal)
Tawi-Tawi - Gov. Sadikul Sahali (Liberal)
ARMM voter registration[edit]
On June 16, 2012, the registration of 1,778,817 voters of the municipalities/cities in
the ARMM was voided by a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress and
approved by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. The joint resolution mentioned
the presence of hundreds of thousands of illegal and fictitious registrants in the
ARMM which needs to be deleted.[26]

Economy[edit]
The region is one of the most impoverished areas in the Philippines. It has a per
capita gross regional domestic product of only PhP3,433 in 2005, 75.8 percent lower
than the national average of PhP14,186. It is the lowest among the Philippines' 17
regions, the second lowest region has a per capita income almost double the
ARMM's.[27] ARMM has a population of 4.1 million based on the 2007 census. It is
the country's poorest region, where average annual income was just 89,000 pesos
($2,025) in 2006, less than 1/3 of Manila level.[28]

Poverty incidence in the region is a high 45.4 percent in 2003, almost twice the
national average of 24.4 percent. Significant progress has been made in reducing
poverty in the region, which was reduced by 10.5 percent from the 2000 figure, only
the Caraga region has a higher poverty incidence in 2003. Lanao del Sur reduced its
povery incidence by as much as 26.9 percent, placing itself as the 12th most
successful province in poverty reduction. Tawi-Tawi and Sulu have reduced their

figures by 18 and 17.6 percent, respectively. In 2000, all the four provinces of the
ARMM were among the 10 poorest in the Philippines. By 2003, Lanao del Sur, Sulu
and Tawi-Tawi were out of the bottom 10, leaving only Maguindanao, which remains
to be the second poorest or the second with the highest incidence of poverty among
the Philippines' provinces.[29][30]

Province

Poverty Incidence

2003 2000
Percent

Ranka Percent

Basilancd
33.5
40
31.5
31
Lanao del Sur
37.6
56
54.7
73
Maguindanaoe
60.4
78
59.3
76
Sulu
45.1
67
58.9
75
Tawi-Tawi
34.6

Rankb

49
52.4
70
^a 79 provinces in 2003.
^b 77 provinces with data in 2000.
^c Not yet part of the ARMM in 2000. 2000 figures include Isabela City.
^d 2003 figures exclude Isabela City.
^e Figures include Shariff Kabunsuan, exclude Cotabato City.
Despite the autonomy, ARMM receives approximately 98% of its operating revenue
from the National Government of the Philippines, and has yet to create significant,
viable sources of additional revenue. Perhaps for this reason, the per capita
spending on such vital services as education and infrastructure are among the
lowest in the Philippines, and the five provinces of the ARMM continue to be ranked
consistently on the lower rungs of economic development within the country. The
per student expenditure on education, for example, is less than $100, with the
result that students within ARMM schools generally score poorly, in comparison with
other provinces, on standardized achievement tests administered throughout the
country.

ARMM is one of the country's top producers of fish and marine resources,
particularly seaweed, which is used in some toothpastes, cosmetics and paints. It
has large mineral deposits, including copper and gold.[28]

Cultural heritage[edit]
Main articles: Music of the Philippines and Kulintang
The native Maguindanaon and other native Muslim/non-Muslim groups have a
culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found
among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.