The creation of the autonomous government was originally slated for 2022 but was postponed until 2025 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, among other reasons.

While most of the Philippines’ 110 million people are Christian, Muslims make up about 5% of the population.

In the latter half of the 1960s, Muslim rebels in the south began an armed struggle for independence. The past 10 years have been more peaceful, but many issues remain, including the need to disarm militants.

Persuading the rebels to lay down their weapons is taking longer than expected: So far, only around half have done so. Unless this is completed by 2025, lawmakers in the national government may raise concerns about setting up an autonomous authority on Mindanao.

The southern part of the island is rich in forestry and other natural resources but is underdeveloped. Although foreign companies see potential in resources, infrastructure development and agriculture, public security must first improve. Any further bumps in the road could mean a loss of foreign investment.

Officials with the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim regional government, were shot dead in November and December. The Japanese foreign ministry has pegged the travel risk in the area at level at 3 on a scale of 4, urging Japanese nationals to avoid the region.

Local authorities need to also provide work for former combatants to prevent them from rejoining the fight, with support for agricultural training seen as important.

Relations between the central government and the BTA are good at the moment. On Sunday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressed willingness to cooperate in the creation of a Muslim autonomous government.

“We’re redefining the relationship” with the BTA, Marcos said.

But the minister responsible for ensuring peace in Muslim Mindanao is expected to be replaced soon. It is important for the BTA to retain support from the national government by establishing amicable relations with a new officeholder who is familiar with the peace process.

Another challenge is budget management for the new authority.

“I am struggling to work out rules to prevent corruption and nepotism from spreading,” said Naoyuki Ochiai, senior adviser to the chief minister of the BTA.

In accepting Ochiai, who works for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as an adviser, the BTA is learning how to run a parliament and administrative bodies, as well as how to compile budgets.

In the first address by a foreign national to the BTA parliament in Cotabato, JICA President Akihiko Tanaka said his organisation “continues to collaborate with you in areas such as governance and administrative capacity development, job creation, better quality of life, among many others.”

It will also help accelerate the drafting of laws for local administration, taxation, elections and other subjects. A number of local lawmakers are expected to visit Japan to study the country’s parliamentary system.