Duterte forms committee to help Bangsamoro gov’t

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the oath-taking ceremony of the officers of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines at the Malacañan Palace. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

A committee composing of Cabinet members has been formed by President Rodrigo Duterte to lend a hand in setting up the government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“I formed a committee of just a few members of the Cabinet to assist them in building the structure of a BARMM government,” Duterte told reporters following the oath-taking ceremony of newly appointed government officials in Malacañang on Tuesday, September 17.

The President met with the officials of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) prior to disclosing of the creation of the said committee.

Asked what problems he has seen so far that the Bangsamoro regional government is experiencing, Duterte said it was financial and liaison issues.

“Well, una (first) is the prompt remittance of their money because they have to offer it also. Just like any government office, you have to have money to buy supplies, to pay the employees, and everything,” the Chief Executive said.

“So isa ‘yan (that is one). At pangalawa (And second), ‘yung additional officials for liaisoning,” he added.

The BARMM was created when the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a product of the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), was enacted into law.

Replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the BARMM will have more powers, resources, and a larger area.

The proposed P4.1-trillion budget for 2020 allocates P70.6-billion to the BARMM, pursuant to the BOL. A total of 63.6-billion of this accounts for the annual block grant, five billion pesos is for the special development fund, and two billion pesos for BARMM’s share in national taxes.

Duterte earlier approved the P4.1-trillion budget for next year, which is higher than this year’s budget of P3.757-trillion.