‘Best Book on Professions’ shines a light on the Bangsamoro journey
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 30 March) — The coffee table book chronicling the making of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a cornerstone of peacebuilding in Mindanao, brings renewed attention to a process often sidelined in national narratives, following its win as ‘Best Book on Professions’ at the 43rd National Book Awards.
The Road to Peace: Crafting the Bangsamoro Organic Law by Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri was one of 10 books written by or about Mindanawons or Mindanao in a pool of 139 finalists, and one of five that vied for Best Book on Professions.
Signed into law in July 2018, Republic Act 11054 or the BOL, the enabling law of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Philippine government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), paved the way for the abolition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) after its ratification in January 2019.
During his acceptance speech, Sen. Zubiri thanked the National Book Development Board and the Filipino Critics Circle, “for recognizing our book and shining a light on the Bangsamoro region,” emphasizing that he is “proud to be one of the multiple awardees today for books that speak about Mindanao.”
Zubiri further dedicated the award to those who contributed to the process, emphasizing that the recognition extends beyond the book itself. “I share this award with all my fellow legislators who worked day in and out for the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” he spoke during the March 14 ceremony at the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) in SM Megamall.
Zubiri described the law as “the most challenging legislative undertaking of my career,” noting that it took nearly a year of debates to finalize provisions that would be both constitutional and responsive to the needs of the Bangsamoro people. “Of course, the struggles to make sure that it was constitutional and definitely something that would give long-lasting peace for Mindanao. It was also the most rewarding as well,” he added.
He framed the recognition as part of a broader effort to bring attention to Mindanao’s histories and aspirations. “I dedicate this award to our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters,” Zubiri said, expressing hope that the book would “bring more support for the struggle for peace and self-determination. Ituloy po nating ipaglaban ang kapayapaan (Let us continue to fight for peace).”
Part memoir, part documentation, the book traces the complex legislative journey behind Republic Act No. 11054, the law that established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Passed in 2018 after months of intense deliberation, the BOL marked a significant step toward resolving decades-long conflict in the region and laying the groundwork for self-governance.
The book documents not only the legislative process but also the human effort behind it, drawing from consultations in conflict-affected areas such as Marawi City and the MILF’s Camp Darapanan, as well as behind-the-scenes photographs capturing key moments in the law’s passage.
The book’s release came at a significant moment. In September 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the BOL, reinforcing its role as a key legal and political framework for long-term stability in Mindanao.
For Mindanao, the award brings a regional story — one often treated as peripheral in national discourse — into the center of intellectual and historical conversations. By documenting the BOL as a milestone in Philippine history rather than a regional concern, the book contributes to a broader understanding of peace-building as a shared national project. At the same time, the recognition highlights the continued emergence of Mindanawon voices in Philippine literature.
Sen. Zubiri is a longtime legislator who has served in both the Senate and House of Representatives, and is widely associated with the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, earning him the moniker “father of the BOL.” He led efforts in the 17th Congress to revive and consolidate earlier proposals for Bangsamoro autonomy, guiding the measure through months of deliberations until its enactment in 2018.
Three Mindanawon were honored among this year’s awardees at the National Book Awards.
The Road to Peace: Crafting the Bangsamoro Organic Law (self-published) won the Best Book on Professions, while Jhoanna Cruz’s More Mindanawon Than We Admit: History, Culture, and Identity in the Philippine South (Vibal Foundation) was awarded Best Book in the Social Sciences, and Jerry Imbong’s Towards a Mindanawon/Lumad Philosophy: The Filipino Philosophy of Bro. Karl Gaspar, CsSR (Aletheia Publishing) won Best Book in Philosophy.
The National Book Awards recognition underscores the expanding contours of Philippine writing, foregrounding histories, struggles, and perspectives that have long remained underrepresented in mainstream narratives. (Bea Gatmaytan / MindaNews)
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