Members of the Bangsamoro parliament huddle during a break in their session. (File photo from BANGSAMORO TRANSITION AUTHORITY)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Release of salary and benefits for the local government workers of Sulu province will continue amid its exclusion from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Thursday.
According to DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, the national government will ensure the continued delivery of government services in the province.
鈥淲e would like to affirm that the salaries and benefits of local government personnel in the Province shall continue, and are to be charged against available local government funds,鈥� Pangandaman said in a statement.
鈥淲hile those for the personnel of the various Provincial Field Offices in the different ministries under the BARMM Government should continue to be charged against their corresponding appropriations from the annual Block Grant,鈥� she added.
Further, Pangandaman also noted that programs, projects and activities (PAPs) for the Sulu province funded by the Bangsamoro Government under the 2024 General Appropriations Act of Bangsamoro will still be implemented until the finality of the SC鈥檚 ruling.
Pangandaman explained that PAPs for the province will no longer be part of the BARMM鈥檚 budget in the following years following its exclusion from the region.
READ: Tolentino stresses need of gov鈥檛 coordination for Sulu transition fund
Meanwhile, BARMM Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun in a radio program 鈥楿sapang Tol鈥� told Senator Francis Tolentino that the local government workers from Sulu will still receive their salaries from September 16 onwards since it has already been allocated in the BARMM鈥檚 2024 general appropriations.
Pendatun also said that about P9.08 billion is allocated to Sulu under the block grant given to the region.
Article 12 Section 16 of the Bangsamoro Organic Law states that the block grant 鈥渟hall be equivalent to five percent (5%) of the net national internal revenue tax collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the net collection of the Bureau of Customs.鈥�
The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Sulu province is not part of BARMM after the province voted against the Bangsamoro Organic Law鈥檚 ratification.
A decision written by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said that the high court granted Sulu鈥檚 petition against its inclusion in the autonomous region.
The budget secretary said that they acknowledge the judgment, adding that 鈥渋t is prudent to wait for it to reach finality, considering the significant implications for its enforcement 鈥� to ensure that when commenced, the same had already attained a state of immutability.鈥�
READ: SC: Sulu not part of BARMM
Pangandaman also assured that they will coordinate the future guidelines with National-Government Bangsamoro Government Inter-governmental Relations with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for the transitioning of the province amid the high court鈥檚 rule.