(File photo)
MANILA – The Marcos administration would make sure that government services in Sulu province remain unhampered, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Tuesday.
The commitment was made when the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB), composed of representatives from the national and Bangsamoro governments, met on Oct. 11 to discuss the Supreme Court’s (SC) Sept. 9 ruling on Sulu’s exclusion from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, IGRB co-chairperson for the national government, said the Marcos administration is committed to maintaining services in Sulu amid the transition.
“The national government will exert all efforts to ensure a smooth transition, taking a whole-of-government approach to continuously deliver essential services in the region,” Pangandaman was quoted as saying, according to the IGRB joint statement released on Tuesday.
“We in the IGRB have a crucial responsibility to sustain and build on the significant gains we’ve achieved for BARMM’s governance, peace, and long-term growth,” she added.
BARMM Education Minister and IGRB co-chairperson Mohagher Iqbal called for a unified effort to safeguard the interests of Sulu residents.
“As we await the final resolution of the judicial process, it is essential that we adopt a collective approach to protect the rights, aspirations, and well-being of the people of Sulu,” he said.
Iqbal also cited possible challenges that might be encountered during the transition, including the payment of salaries for teaching and non-teaching staff, asset management, and other operational matters.
Technical working group
The IGRB agreed to form a technical working group (TWG) that will develop guidelines to ensure minimal disruption to essential services.
The TWG is also tasked to provide recommendations on maintaining operational continuity, pending the SC’s final decision.
The IGRB will coordinate with the Office of the Executive Secretary for the issuance of a written directive to the affected offices of the Bangsamoro government, national government, and local government unit to ensure continued operations of governmental matters in Sulu.
In a unanimous decision dated Sept. 9, 2024, the SC ruled that Sulu is not part of the BARMM, citing the province’s rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) during the 2019 plebiscite.
The BOL, enacted on July 27, 2018, is the legal framework establishing the BARMM’s governance and political structure.
Last month, Pangandaman urged the BARMM and Sulu to maintain “status quo,” following the SC’s decision to exclude the province from the region. (PNA)
