This document summarizes key issues regarding the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in the Philippines. It outlines territorial and constitutional questions over the definition of the Bangsamoro's ancestral domain and whether neighboring local governments could join. It also discusses options for expansion, the process for opting into or out of the autonomous region, and debates over natural resource control within the territory. Finally, it frames the analysis as reconfiguring autonomous areas in line with agreements and laws while managing majority-minority relations across Mindanao.

1. S
SURVEY OF ISSUES
TERRITORY/AREAS OF AUTONOMY AND CONTROL OVER NATURAL
RESOURCES

2. LEGAL/CONSTITUTIONAL
S BM territory vs. One Philippine territory
S Interpretation of geographic area: BM
ancestral domain vs. ancestral domain
in the Philippine constitution
S Inclusion of LGUs outside of the
ARMM: standards and plebiscite

3. Opt in
S First mode: List + 10% petition of contiguous areas +
plebiscite
S Second mode after plebiscite: 10% petition of
contiguous areas + plebiscite
S Definition of contiguous
S Only Congress can call for plebiscite
S Only one time to create autonomous region and
expansion requires amendment of the Organic Law

4. Opt out
Available only in the first
plebiscite under the BBL

5. Political Issue
Creeping
Expansion/Bangsamoro

6. Territory=Control
SNatural resources, inland
water etc.
SLake Lanao= control
over Mindanao energy

7. Framework for Analysis
S From Tripoli to the Philippine Constitution:
reconfiguring areas/territory of autonomy.
S Challenges and opportunities of the
reconfiguration addressed by agreements
and laws.
S Shifting majority-minority relations/ BM and
rest of Mindanao relations