Bangsamoro Law Will Not Affect Powers and IRA of LGUs

Koronodal City – “The exclusive legislative powers of the proposed Bangsamoro government as provided for in the (draft) Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) shall not, in any way, undermine the powers already enjoyed by the current local government units (LGUs) within and beyond the core territory of the Bangsamoro,” said Atty. Al Julkipli, legal team member of the Government of the Philippines’ peace panel.

Julkipli issued this statement during the public hearing of the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL held Thursday at the FB Hotel in this city when officials of the LGU of South Cotabato led by Provincial Governor Daisy Fuentes expressed their concerns on how the provisions of the BBL may impinge on current rights and powers of LGUs.

According to Julkipli “the exclusive legislative powers of the Bangsamoro government are in accordance with the provisions of Article 10 Section 20 of the Philippine Constitution, which affirms that the organic act of autonomous regions shall provide for its legislative powers within its territorial jurisdiction.”

Julkipli also assured that the legislative power that will be vested on the Bangsamoro government will remain to be in consonance with national laws. “National laws will not be set aside. There will be efforts to harmonize national policies and regional laws through intergovernmental relationships, “ he explained.

According to the draft BBL, filed as House Bill 4994 in the HOR, there will be an intergovernmental relations (IGR) body that will be set up to help the Bangsamoro and Central governments coordinate with each other in the exercise of shared powers. These shared powers are in areas such as social security and pension; pollution control; penology, coast guard; customs and tariffs; funding for the maintenance of national roads, bridges and irrigation systems; and public order and safety.

Misamis Oriental second district Representative Henry Oaminal who serves as vice chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL affirmed Julkipli’s statement, saying that the BBL does not seek to diminish nor contravene any existing national policies, which includes the Local Government Code. Instead, Oaminal said that “the goal of the (Bangsamoro) bill is to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.”‎

The congressman likewise explained that the internal revenue allotments of LGUs will not be affected nor decreased due to the annual block grant that will be allocated to the Bangsamoro.

“The four-percent (4%) revenue allocation intended for the annual block grant (of the Bangsamoro) shall be deducted from the 60% share of the National Government,” Oaminal said, stressing that the current 40% budget allocation equally appropriated to all the LGUs in the country shall not be decreased nor touched at all.

For her part, Fuentes said that she “has nothing against the establishment of the Bangsamoro government” and explained that the concerns she raised from her constituents only reflect their desire to understand and help in ensuring that the Bangsamoro Basic Law to be passed “will not create more problems. That it will solve problems. That it should provide an environment that will provide every Bangsamoro to have a chance of bettering themselves.”

Source: PCOO, www.opapp.gov.ph

Image Credit: www.philstar.com