Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has presented rebel leaders with a signed law giving partial autonomy to the country's southern Muslim region. The autonomy law will allow self-rule for Filipino Muslims, known as the Bangsamoro, in large parts of Mindanao Island by 2022. An estimated five million Muslims live in the region, which has the predominantly Catholic nation's lowest levels of employment, income, education and economic development. Barnaby Lo has more from the Philippine capital, Manila.

BARNABY LO MANILA "It was a historic Monday for the Filipino people, especially for some five million Muslims living in the southern Philippines. The Bangsamoro Organic Law, a law that is now the basis for creating a new autonomous region in the predominantly Muslim areas of the country, has finally been signed, sealed, and delivered. President Rodrigo Duterte had actually already signed it into law earlier but the ceremonial signing between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF is significant in terms of symbolism. It's important for Muslims in the south to see that finally peace is on the horizon because the war there has been going on for 40 years. The law will require members of the MILF to lay down their arms of course. In return, the region will have its own parliament; it will be entitled to 75 percent of the region's revenues plus 5 percent of the national budget. It will also have its own justice system based on the principles of Islam. But, the regional government won't have its own police and military; that remains the national government's. Now it's important to note that there's more work to do because the law is nothing without the Bangsamoro people's approval, meaning potential constituents will have to vote in a plebiscite. Barnaby Lo, CGTN, Manila."