MANILA: The funds allocated for the province of Sulu in 2025 remain part of the proposed budget for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as announced by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling that Sulu is not part of the BARMM, owing to its rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in a 2019 plebiscite.
According to Philippines News Agency, Pangandaman stated during a recent meeting at Kapihan sa Manila Bay that the national and BARMM governments have agreed to continue funding Sulu until the Supreme Court issues a final decision on the province’s status. The ongoing financial support is part of a broader strategy to ensure stability and continuity of services in Sulu.
The government has contingency plans for the province, including the formation of a technical working group dedicated to developing guidelines to minimize disruptions to essential services. Pangandaman emphasized that there is no immediate need for a supplemental budget fo
r Sulu, as the General Appropriations Act includes a contingent fund that can be utilized if necessary once the Supreme Court’s decision is finalized.
The Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB), comprising representatives from both national and Bangsamoro governments, convened on October 11 to deliberate on the implications of the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision dated September 9, 2024, which determined that Sulu is not part of the BARMM. Despite the ruling, the funding for Sulu will remain in place to avoid any potential panic among the residents of the province.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law, enacted on July 27, 2018, serves as the legal framework for the governance and political structure of the BARMM. However, Sulu’s exclusion from the BARMM was affirmed by the Supreme Court due to its rejection of the law during the 2019 plebiscite.