New law abolishes OMA
GMA creates new Muslim commission
By EDD K. USMAN
February 19, 2010, 5:56pm
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday signed Republic Act No. 9997 which abolishes the Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) and creates as replacement a more powerful strengthened National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
In anticipation of the NCMF, OMA Executive Director Datu Ali B. Sangki created a task force to help in the transition period.
With nine commissioners, NCMF's “coverage shall be both local and national affairs involving Muslim Filipinos that include the implementation of economic, educational, cultural, and infrastructure programs for Muslim Filipino communities.”
The new law is the reconciled and approved versions of Senate Bill No. 3482 and House Bill No. 4253.
R.A. No. 9997 says: “It is henceforth the policy of the State to ensure the rights and well-being of Muslim Filipinos with due regard to their beliefs, customs, traditions and institutions, as well as to further ensure their contribution to national goals and aspirations and to make them active participants in nation-building.
A loose yet consistent advocate of issues and concerns for the welfare of the Islamic community, the Muslim Inter-Organizational Meeting (MIOM) chaired by Haji Nassief Malawani lauded the realization of the NCMF. MIOM believes the NCMF is a great gift to Muslims by the Arroyo administration and the 14th Congress.
Ali Reza Kunting, MIOM Secretariat head, said MIOM hails Arroyo, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Speaker Prospero Nograles, Senate Majority Floorleader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and other senators and congressmen for acknowledging through R.A. No. 9997 the need to address more strongly the welfare of the Moro people.
As this developed, the Manila Bulletin learned that some OMA personnel were worried that they could be displaced in the NCMF.
The bill says, “All regular and permanent employees of OMA shall be absorbed or transferred to the Commission: Provided they possess the necessary qualifications.”
OMA employees who declined to be named voiced the hope the NCMF creation will not result to their becoming jobless
