Manila, September 16, 2024 — House Deputy Minority Leader Mujiv Hataman of Basilan has called for the inclusion of funding provisions for Sulu in the proposed P6.325-trillion national budget for 2025. This appeal follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that excluded the province from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Supreme Court’s decision affirmed the legality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which established the BARMM. However, the Court also clarified that Sulu was not included in the BARMM jurisdiction due to the province’s majority “no” vote in the 2019 plebiscite for the BOL’s ratification.
“With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the responsibility for funding Sulu now falls back to the national government,” Hataman stated during the House plenary deliberations on the proposed P29-billion budget for the Department of Finance (DOF) for 2025. “We need a clear plan for Sulu’s budget, as this is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted government services.”
Hataman highlighted that the BARMM’s block grant, outlined in Article 12 Sections 16 to 18 of the BOL, is fixed at 5% of the net national internal revenue tax collection and net customs revenue. This block grant, automatically appropriated from the national budget, is not influenced by territorial changes and will not be adjusted for regions outside the BARMM.
“The block grant is specific and fixed, with no provisions for regions like Sulu that are outside the BARMM,” Hataman explained. “The national government must take responsibility for Sulu’s funding needs to avoid disruptions in services.”
In response, Sultan Kudarat Representative Horacio Suansing, Jr., who is sponsoring the DOF’s budget proposal, suggested that salaries for the additional 7,000 government employees could potentially be covered by the government’s contingency fund.
However, Hataman countered that relying on a “maybe” for Sulu’s budget is inadequate. He stressed that essential services provided by various government agencies, such as the Department of Education and the Department of Health, must factor in the Supreme Court’s decision when planning their 2025 budgets.
“The Department of Education and the Department of Health need to reassess their budgets to ensure that the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on Sulu is addressed,” Hataman said. “With a population of around a million people, Sulu deserves a well-thought-out budget to prevent any disruption in essential services.”
Hataman urged lawmakers to address this issue promptly as part of the budget deliberations to ensure that Sulu receives the necessary support from the national government.
