To facilitate the peaceful self-governance of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. urged the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to prioritize the passage of legislation on tax and the conduct of the election in the region.
Marcos made the appeal during the ceremonial opening of the 80-man BTA parliament in Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City last Thursday.
“To deliver our commitments to the people of BARMM, I urge you to pass all the crucial legislations on fiscal policy, particularly taxation and to facilitate the conduct of the elections in the BARMM in 2025,” Marcos said.
The pending BARMM Electoral Code prompted the government to defer the conduct of the first election in the region from this year to 2025.
Another priority legislation, the President said, which the BTA should consider are laws that will “secure the welfare of the Moro people, particularly in agri fishery, health care, transportation, communication, digital infrastructure, and e-governance.”
National government support
He noted that the said legislation will augment the existing initiatives of the national government to empower BARMM.
Foremost of these support measures, Marcos said, is the P74.4-billion funds allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the proposed 2023 national budget.
“As your President, I assure you, the BTA and all the Bangsamoro people, of this administration’s full and unwavering commitment to the peace process and to BARMM,” Marcos said.
“I look forward to the fulfillment of your vision to realize a united and enlightened self governing, peaceful, just, morally upright and progressive Bangsamoro,” he added.
Legislation timeline
BTA Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim said they are targeting to pass the BARMM Electoral Code as well as the BARMM Local Government Code before the end of the year or early 2023.
He noted that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Ebrahim said the previous BTA was able to pass 31 legislations including the Administrative Code, the Civil Service Code, the Education Code.
Marcos lauded the BTA for these achievements, which he said are “cornerstones of BARMM moral self-governance.”
Aside from Marcos and Ebrahim, other very important persons, who were present in the ceremonial opening of the BTA parliament are Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri; Speaker Martin G. Romualdez; Interior Secretary Benjamin D. Abalos, Jr.; BTA Parliament Speaker Pangalian M. Balindong; Wali Sheikh Khalifa U. Nando; Supreme Court Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao; and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari.