Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman welcomed representatives from the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) and the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH), as well as officials from the Philippine National Police–Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) 3rd Light Armor Company, in separate courtesy calls on October 16 at Isabela City Hall.
The WMSU research team, led by Dr. Rochard Tarroza, Assistant Director of the WMSU Student Affairs Office, and Engr. Marlon Grande, Technical Associate for the Community Outreach and Development Advocacy Program (CODAP), together with the BCPCH–Basilan team headed by history researcher Barjunaid Cadir and Danilo Nicholas Jr., visited to present their ongoing project, Writing of the Bangsamoro History, which aims to document Basilan’s unique cultural and historical narratives. They also sought the mayor’s guidance and recommendations for local historians and researchers who may serve as resource persons and collaborators. Also present were Vice Mayor Ar-Jhemar Ajibon and Councilor Jeromy Jay Casas.
The initiative is supported by the Provincial Government of Basilan under Governor Mujiv Hataman, in partnership with national and academic institutions such as the University of the Philippines, the Philippine National Historical Society, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Philippine Educational Research Organization (PHEDRO), and Moro Memoirs.
Mayor Turabin-Hataman expressed the city’s full support for the project, emphasizing the importance of preserving Basilan’s heritage and ensuring that local voices are represented in the broader Bangsamoro narrative.
On the same day, the mayor also received PNP-SAF officers led by PMAJ Joey Aniban, Acting Battalion Commander of the Light Armor Battalion. The courtesy visit aimed to strengthen coordination between the police force and the local government in maintaining peace and order in Isabela City. Also present were PCPT Aaron Almiñe, Tank Commander of the 3LAC and PCPT Jay Jomar, CHOPAP-1NG Company Commander of the 3LAC, 3LAB. (With Photos by M. Santos, CIO)
