BARMM parliament approves region’s local government code

TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – The Bangsamoro Parliament has approved the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code, a measure aimed at empowering local governments in the Muslim-majority region.

With 57 votes in favor, four against, and no abstentions, the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 49 was passed on its third and final reading on Thursday, September 28.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim and Bangsamoro Speaker Pangalian Balindong said the new regional law would enhance decentralization efforts and improve the delivery of basic services in the region.

They said the provisions of the code are designed to empower local government units and communities, facilitate a gradual devolution of power, ensure equitable revenue sharing, promote democratization, and oversee coordination between the Bangsamoro government and local governments.

“This stands as a historic milestone in our shared endeavor to achieve social justice and our pursuit of genuine and meaningful autonomy for the people of the Bangsamoro region. It represents our commitment to gradually and systematically empower communities by entrusting them with increased power, responsibility, resources, and authority within the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro government,” Murad said.

Before its approval, the code underwent extensive review and consideration to ensure alignment with the vision of the Bangsamoro people.

Bangsamoro parliament member Raissa Jajurie, who chairs the legislature’s committee on local governance, noted that the new law was approved after a lengthy and thorough process, addressing numerous political questions. 

She said, “There are provisions regarding the powers of local governments that clarify their relationships with the Bangsamoro government and among themselves, as well as provisions concerning the participation of our constituents in local governance.”

Jajurie said these legal frameworks are more explicit than the provisions in a measure passed during the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

She also said the BARMM government plans to conduct extensive education campaigns to ensure that the Bangsamoro people are well-informed about the code’s provisions.

Operating under the parliamentary form, the BARMM is the only region in the country with its own local governance code. It is the fifth code approved by the BARMM Parliament during the transition period, following administrative, education, civil service, and electoral codes. – Rappler.com