Who manages to control the rich sea of ​​Sulu, Moro Gulf?

HOT ISSUE. Maguindanao District 1 representative Bai Sandra Sema (center) and Tawi-Tawi representative Ruby Sahali (R) are fighting over the Bangsamoro jurisdiction over the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf. Photo of Maria Tan / Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The bicameral conference committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) has had four exhausting days, but there is still a stalemate over provisions covering the Sulu Sea and the Gulf Moro.

It is a region rich in resources, several provinces of Mindanao enjoying these fishing areas. Bicam President and Majority Leader in the Senate, Miguel Zubiri, said on Thursday that the bicam had already passed the House provision stating that the waters of Bangsamoro in the Sulu Sea and Moro Gulf would extend to 19 kilometers from the low-water mark, which forms part of the jurisdiction of the new region.

The Senate version only placed the Bangsamoro territory above these waters at 15 kilometers.

Legislators, however, are still fighting for other aspects of control over the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf on Thursday night. (READ: Bicam's project is not a watered down BBL, says BTC chairman, Jaafar)

The House and Senate versions of the BBL provide for the creation of a joint body over the areas of joint cooperation in the Sulu Sea. Moro Gulf

The joint body, made up of representatives of Bangsamoro and the national government, would be tasked with protecting traditional fishing grounds, taking advantage of the resources of these waters and ensuring the safety of the fishermen. interconnectivity between the Bangsamoro Islands and the mainland. they thus form a "cohesive Bangsamoro political entity".

But there is a catch: in the Senate version, the chief minister of Bangsamoro would chair this joint body. The House version wants two co-chairs: the chief minister of Bangsamoro and the secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture (DA).

The bicam senators have already agreed to adopt the House version. But the BBL's opponent and Zamboanga City's 1st district representative, Celso Lobregat, wanted to downgrade the situation – only to give the vice president of Bangsamoro the vice-presidency.

This did not go well with Bai Sandra Sema, Representative of Maguindanao District 1, and Ruby Sahali, Representative of Tawi-Tawi, who already had a heated debate with Lobregat on Wednesday night.

Zubiri explained Sahali and Sema. a vice-president feared that if the chairman of the Bangsamoro Council was relegated to the rank of vice-president of the joint body, the Bangsamoro would lose his powers over Sulu Sea and Moro Gulf. concern kasi wala na silang makain. At least bigyan naman nag nag pagkakaton na may be equal to yong general secretary of the secretary general of DA to make a decision jointly "Zubiri told reporters.

(C & # 39; because of the concern of social justice that they They want the Chief Minister of Bangsamoro to be placed on an equal footing with the secretary of the DA to make a decision, jointly.)

" Kasi kung vice president, yong scared siguro nila & # 39; di sila papansinin. Baka you know, co-chair kung, they can summon, & dio? If he is vice president, you can not call without the vice president. So maybe that is their assertion there "he added.

(Their fear that the chief minister of Bansamoro be the vice president, c & # 39; is that their concerns are not heard, the president would have the power to convene the group, but as a vice president you can not convene "

Jobs vs Social Justice

Zubiri think also that the three legislators are locking the Sulu Sea and the Gulf of Moro because of two problems: social injustice. (READ: Bicam approves the creation of the High Court of Shari'ah in Bangsamoro) [19659006] "Part here is of course, the jobs generated by the fishing industry and the income from them, but at the same time there is the social justice problem of the lack of fish in their own areas. traditional fisheries, "said Mr. Zubiri. " Kaya Maanirang Ma Tara Taw Tua Tawi, Sulu, and the other Basilan tribes like the Yakans, is because wala na silang mga isda his kanilang mga areas in the Sulu Sea "he added.

(The reason why the Tausu Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and other tribes in Basilan like the Yakans remain poor is because they have nothing left to fish in their areas in the Sulu Sea.)

Zubiri said that "balancing" the two issues would allow other provinces to fish in the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf, but only if they pay for a fishing license imposed by the Bangsamoro.

taxes could then be allocated to social services for the coastal communities of the Sulu Sea and the Gulf of Moro.

District representatives met on Thursday evening in an executive session to resolve the deadlock over the disposition of the House. At the time of posting, bicam has not yet decided on this. – Rappler.com