COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 26 Aug) — The Bangsamoro Parliament has institutionalized the Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership (SEAL), making it a permanent program to recognize and honor leaders who exemplify the standards of moral governance.
The bill, designated as Parliament Bill 355, was passed into law one week before National Heroes Day.
The SEAL program is a recognition for outstanding local government units that champion leadership rooted in strengthening accountability, people’s participation, and high-quality service.
It is named after Sheikh Salamat Hashim, the late founding chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in homage to his legacy of moral governance.
Although not officially recognized as a “National Hero” of the Philippines, Hashim is revered by the Bangsamoro people as a hero and a guiding light in their struggle for self-determination and peace.
The bill was fast-tracked after it was made a priority by Chief Minister and concurrent Minister of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua.
He said in a press statement that SEAL is not just about recognition, but about establishing a “culture of accountable and service-oriented governance.”
“By institutionalizing SEAL, we are not only honoring Sheikh Salamat’s memory. We are building a culture of leadership that values accountability, participation, and service above all else,” he said.
The SEAL program was first launched under the leadership of former MILG minister and now Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, who is also the primary author of the SEAL Act.
Sinarimbo explained that programs dependent on a ministry’s leadership could be discontinued with a change in administration.
By passing the SEAL Act, the program becomes permanent, ensuring its legacy for future generations of leaders.
The law also provides for the creation of a ₱500-million fund to support the program’s implementation and the documentation of awardees’ best practices, which will serve as a guide for students and future Bangsamoro leaders.
Sinarimbo, who also chairs the committee on local government, explained that the bill aims to make the program permanent and secure its funding.
“From various studies, especially in Asia, the most important component of progress is leadership,” Sinarimbo said in a press statement. He added that there is a need to find and recognize excellent leadership, document it, and turn it into a model to be replicated. For him, the late MILF founding leader Hashim Salamat brought about the current BARMM government and serves as an inspiration.
Sinarimbo mentioned that the characteristics of Salamat’s leadership they want to see in the region’s leaders include shura (consultation) and the concept of service or being service-oriented.
“When I was at MILG, we worked to make this award a program. But the challenge was that the funding had to be brought to the Parliament and the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management (MFBM) every year,” Sinarimbo added. To overcome the challenge of program continuity, they decided to pass the SEAL as a law.
₱500M Fund to be ‘Seed Money’
“To energize people to perform even more, we allocated a fund as a reward,” said Sinarimbo. Under the bill, each leader or organization awarded with a SEAL will receive a ₱20-million project for their LGU or organization. Additionally, the awardee will also receive a personalized gold medallion worth ₱500,000.
To ensure the program’s sustainability without depleting the fund, a ₱500-million seed money will be placed in an investment fund to generate income.
“The ₱500 million will not be touched. Only the earnings from it will be used as the fund for the ₱20 million reward for the awardees. This way, we preserve the region’s funds and the program becomes sustainable,” Sinarimbo explained.
When asked why the award was named after Hashim Salamat, Sinarimbo said it was in recognition of his leadership and great contribution to the formation of the region. He noted that the word “Salamat” has two meanings. First, it is the name of Hashim Salamat; second, it is a message of gratitude—first, to his legacy, and second, to the leaders who will continue his good example, the lawyer said.
“The name Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership is fitting and correct,” Sinarimbo concluded. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
