Muslimin Gampong Sema (born April 27, 1949), also known as Mus Sema, is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
politician who is the current minister of labor and employment of the Bangsamoro autonomous region, Philippines since March 8, 2022. He has also been the former mayor of Cotabato City and a member of the Moro National Liberation Front.
Education
Sema finished his elementary grade at Sero Elementary School (1957-1963) in Cotabato and his secondary school years at Cotabato High School (1963-1967). In 1965, he was sent to Pennsylvania, United States as part of a summer student program.
He took up
geodetic engineering
Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...
at the National University from 1967 to 1970. In college, he started joining organizations where he could express his political views like the Philippine Muslim Nationalist League. He was one of the founding members of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Career
In 1969, Sema worked as technical assistant of the Student's Affairs of the Commission on National Integration (CNI).
From 1979 to 1989, he was the state chairman of the Utara Kutawato State Revolutionary Committee after which he became secretary general of the MNLF.
In 1996, he was appointed as the executive secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). He attended numerous local and international conferences including the Pledging Session Conference in Paris, France and to the Technical Discussion Meeting of the Department of Finance-World Bank in Washington D.C., United States as a delegate representing the ARMM.
In February 1998, he became the executive director of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD).
He was elected as city mayor of Cotabato in 1998 and was re-elected in 2001, 2004 and during the May 2007 elections. In 2008, he was elected by the Central Committee of the MNLF as their new chairman. Sema served as vice mayor of Cotabato City and presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod from 2010 up to 2013. He lost to Japal Guiani while running for mayor in the 2013 and 2016 elections respectively both under the Liberal Party.
In 2017, Sema stepped down as MNLF chairman, and former Sulu governor
Yusop Jikiri
Yusop (also Yusoph) Jikiri (1954 – 17 October 2020) was a Filipino people, Filipino politician, leader within the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and governor (2001–2004) of Sulu Province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ...
succeeded him as chairman.
In the
2019 elections
The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2019. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems has a calendar of upcoming elections around the world, and the National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections in coun ...
, Sema under the
Nacionalista
The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
banner made a failed bid to get elected as
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
's 1st district representative losing to Roonie Sinsuat Sr.
Following Jikiri's death in 2020, Sema was re-elected as MNLF chairman.
The MNLF, under Sema, launched on January 8, 2022, the
Bangsamoro Party
The Bangsamoro Party (BAPA) is a political party based in Mindanao, Philippines, which is affiliated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
History
The Bangsamoro Party is a political party affiliated with the Moro National Liberation Fr ...
(BAPA) – the group's own political party.
On March 8, 2022, Sema was appointed to head the Ministry of Labor and Employment of the Bangsamoro regional government under Chief Minister
Murad Ebrahim
Ahod Balawag Ebrahim (born 15 May 1949), better known as Al-hajj Murad Ebrahim, is a Moro Filipino politician and former rebel leader currently serving as the first chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
As the cu ...
, succeeding his nephew, Romeo.
Personal life
Muslimin Sema has 12 children. He is married to Bai Sandra S.A. Sema, formerly the congressional representative for the First District of Maguindanao. Sema is also an ethnic
Maguindanaon
Maguindanao (, Jawi: ), Maguindanaon or Magindanao is an Austronesian language spoken by a majority of the population of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different par ...