MANILA, Philippines- Mananatili ang kasalukuyang status quo ng Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao habang naghihintay ng pinal na desisyon ang Supreme Court na inihihiwalay ang Sulu province sa BARMM, ayon kay Senador Grace Poe, chairman ng Senate committee on finance.
Sinabi ni Poe na kahit kailangan nang ipatupad ang desisyon ng SC, kailangan pang hintayin ang pinal na kautusan dahil nakapaghain ng motion for reconsideration hinggil dito.
“While the Supreme Court decision on the exclusion of Sulu is stated to be immediately executable, we have to wait for the decision’s finality since a motion for reconsideration was filed. The National Government committed to ensure maintaining services in Sulu and the smooth transition, taking a whole-of-government approach to continuously deliver essential services in the region,” ayon kay Poe sa deliberasyon ng badyet ng Department of Budget and Management.
“It is encouraged to maintain the status quo for the BARMM and Sulu province to proceed as usual with payments of salaries to its employees and implementation of already funded projects,” aniya.
“An inter-government relations body agreed to form a technical working group tasked with developing guidelines to ensure minimal disruption to essential services,” dagdag ni Poe.
Kumakatawan si Poe sa DBM dahil tanging senador lamang ang pwedeng magsalita sa sesyon ng plenaryo sa Senado.
“Status quo for now. All of the commitments that have to be provided until the Supreme Court has a final decision. All the services should continue. In the meantime, a technical working group is being formed to ensure some sort of transition. Either way, whatever the decision of the Supreme Court will be, I suppose. And that’s really quite tricky because there will always be parties that will feel aggrieved by the decision whether yes or no,” wika niya.
Bilang tugon sa katanungan ni Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, sinabi ni Poe na sa pagpapanatili ng status quo sakop nito ang pagbabayad sa sahod.
“So dako naman ako dun sa regional governments budgetary provisions for Sulu. We know that in 2024, the BARMM allocated 9.08 billion pesos to Sulu with 4.5 billion pesos going towards salaries for about 7,800 workers. These include personnel from the school division, staff at hospitals, and employees of higher education institutions in the province. Since the interim parliament is currently working on legislating their budget for 2025, can you tell us, Madam Sponsor, if this or any funding for Sulu is still included, Mr. President?” tanong ni Hontiveros.
“So basically, status quo, okay? So, the salaries and benefits of local government in the province of Sulu shall continue and are to be charged against available local government funds, okay? So ALGU, yung Mandanas-Garcia. Meron pa rin sila doon share. But for the personnel of the various provincial field offices in the different ministries under BARMM government will continue to be charged against their corresponding appropriations from the annual block grant,” paliwanag ng senador.
“So, sa ngayon, Mr. President, dahil hindi pa naman final, ganun pa rin, yung funding ng block grant, dun sa mga nakasama na sa BARMM. Ngayon, yung mga hindi pa nakasama sa BARMM, tuloy-tuloy pa rin dun sa NTA at kung ano pang mga ibang sources of income nila as was in the past. Diba? So unless masasama sila sa BARM, hindi sila masasama dun sa block grant na yun,” giit pa ni Poe.
Binanggit din ni Hontiveros na hindi na kailangan pang pondohan nang hiwalay ng gobyerno ang Sulu.
“So included pa rin yung allocation ng BARMM para sa Sulu. So, ibig sabihin, yung national government will not need to provide funding for programs and services in Sulu that were originally devolved to the BARMM. Tama pa rin po ba yung understanding ko up to this point, Mr. President?” ayon kay Hontiveros.
“Yes,” tugon ni Poe.
Ipinaliwanag pa ni Poe na sakop din ng status quo ang paghahatid ng serbisyon saka tiniyak nito na magkakaroon lamang ng maliit na pagkakaantala sa paghahatid ng serbisyo sa naapektuhan ng desisyon ng SC.
“I think it’s better for us to await also the results of the technical working group, how it will be properly organized and devolved. But one thing I know is sure, we’ve worked so hard to reach this stage with the BARMM that what we’re trying to achieve here is peace among our brothers in Mindanao, our brothers and sisters in Mindanao,” ayon kay Poe.
“So this government, and I think I share the sentiments of our colleagues here, including those from the executive who work in the executive, we will make sure that they don’t feel na nakukulangan sila or napapabayaan sila because we’re not going to risk destabilization there by being irresponsible and not looking at the proper transition for whatever decision the Supreme Court will be making for the province,” pagtatapos ng senadora. Ernie Reyes
