COTABATO CITY – For the last time, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will mark its 29th founding anniversary on November 19. With the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, it will be replaced next year by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The regional government, anticipating this development since of the start of the year, held a series of activities for the anniversary celebration dubbed the “Pakaradjaan 2018”. Thus, on March 26, thousands of employees and residents of ARMM’s five provinces participated in a simultaneous parade to officially open the Pakaradjaan 2018.
Themed ‘The ARMM Legacy: Exemplifying Good Governance in the Bangsamoro,’ Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman said this year’s Pakaradjaan highlights the gains of good governance in the region and the diverse heritage of the Bangsamoro people.
And on May 11, the regional government officially opened ‘ARMM Exhibit: Mosques Around the World’, a competition event with participation from the region’s different offices and agencies. Participants constructed three-dimensional miniature replicas of renowned mosques from different parts of the world.
On the same day, the regional government also opened Ramadan Fair 2018 that offered more than 70 booths featuring local food and non-food products. Twenty survivors of the Marawi crisis were provided free slots in the fair. The beneficiaries were small traders who lost their means of livelihood during the Marawi Siege in May last year.
Another highlight of the Pakaradjaan 2018 was the opening of ARMM’s grandest mock ethnic villages on June 18. It showcased a variety of cultures, traditions, history and oneness of the Bangsamoro people. The five cultural villages represented the region’s component provinces namely Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi.
To showcase the different Moro cuisines found in the region’s five provinces, the ARMM held on July 26 a food festival that highlighted the region’s diverse flavors reflecting the culture, cuisine and culinary talents of its people.
Certified foodie and vlogger Erwan Heusaff, celebrity chef Boy Logro, actor-restaurateur Diether Ocampo, ‘BecomingFilipino’ blogger Kyle ‘Kulas’ Jennermann, and Anak Mindanao Executive Director Djalia Turabin Hataman were the judges in the food festival.
On September 5, chieftains of the five mock Moro villages competed in a cooking showdown dubbed as the ‘Pakaradjaan Master Chef-tain’. With an hour to prepare a full-course meal for the judges and another hour to prepare a dish using a special item from a ‘mystery box’ as main ingredient, the chieftains brought out the best dishes their respective provinces offer.
The year-long celebration of the ARMM’s 29th founding anniversary continues with more activities scheduled before the year ends. On November 19, employees of the region will once again participate in an anniversary parade.
A short film competition dubbed ‘Moro Film Festival’ will be shown from December 5 to 6. The film festival will highlight and celebrate the culture, historic past, traditions and heritage of the Moro world. It will culminate on December 7 when a grand prize of P300,000 will be given to the film festival’s winner.
Street dancing and awards night are also lined up during the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, which will be held on December 19. Meanwhile, Gov. Hataman is set to deliver his last ‘Ulat sa Bayan’, or the State of the Region Address, on December 20. (Bureau of Public Information)
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