he coming year is shaping up to be critical for peace efforts between the Philippines and rebel groups in the country. The Philippine legislature needs to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law – the product of an agreement negotiated between the government and the Muslim rebels in the south – in order to ensure that subsequent progress can be achieved in time for the creation of a new autonomous government there in 2016 which will help sustain peace. Meanwhile, as I noted last week, the government could also restart formal negotiations with communist rebels early next year to end one of Asia’s longest running insurgencies. Both projects are not without their challenges, but they are crucial to the country’s – and some would argue ASEAN’s – future.