Photo by Faisal Camsa Jr./BIO
COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament approved Thursday, Dec. 22, the bills extending BARMM’s available budget and Special Development Fund (SDF) until 2023 for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of conflict-affected communities in the region.
Before its approval, the said bills were presented in the plenary on Dec. 20 at the Bangsamoro Government Center in this city.
Bill No. 127, which extended the availability of the 2020 and 2021 Special Development Fund, shall ensure that all funds would be available to be spent and paid for essential purposes by December 2023.
The SDF will be used based on the Bangsamoro Development Plan in line with the National Government’s Development Agenda approved by the Bangsamoro Parliament and the Economic and Development Parliament in 2020. Moreover, it serves as a roadmap for the development of the Bangsamoro region, providing strategies and priority projects that respond to people’s needs entire the region.
Member of Parliament (MP) Atty. Ubaida Pacasem said, “there were over 200 programs, activities, and projects in 2020 and 2021–all of these are aimed at rebuilding, rehabilitating, and developing conflict-affected communities in the region. The implementation of the said programs was however delayed for several reasons.”
Among the reasons underscored by Pacasem were the bureaucratic processes indispensable to the release of the fund from the national government to the Bangsamoro Government down to the ministries and offices due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“With this extension, the Bangsamoro Government will be given leverage to sustain its developmental programs and projects for the Bangsamoro people,” Pacasem, who also heads the Ministry of Finance and Budget Management (MFBM), said.
Meanwhile, BTA Bill No. 128 extended the availability of the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro (GAAB) until December 31, 2023, except for personnel services and general administration, and support under maintenance and other operating expenses. Amending for the purpose sections 48 and 67 of the general provisions of the Bangsamoro act No. 23, the 2022 General Appropriation Act of the Bangsamoro
The amount provided as a share of the constituent Local Government Units (LGUs) on the income taxes collected within the BARMM will also be available for disbursement through the end of 2023.
Under the Bill, it was also stated that all unreleased and lapsed appropriations will revert to the Bangsamoro Treasury under a special fund for reappropriation at the end of the validity period.
Funds for infrastructure capital outlays will only be valid for obligation up to the end of 2023, while construction, inspection, and payment should be completed by the end of June 2024.
The MOOE allocations and additional capital outlay are valid until the end of 2023, but the delivery, inspection, and payment may extend to March 2024.
Moreover, the proposed bill also authorized the MFBM to issue the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of the cash budget system. All ministries and offices will strictly observe the validity of appropriations and the reversion of funds. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
