Photo from Datu Moden Mantawil Compania Talandig
KABACAN, NORTH COTABATO—The Committee on Local Government of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament is seeking input from the community of North Cotabato on the proposed establishment of the Municipality of Northern Kabacan within the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of BARMM.
This committee launched the public consultations for the BTA Bill No. 132 on Sunday, June 11 at Barangays Pedtad and Simone, Kabacan in this province.
Authored by the Government of the Day, the bill proposes the creation of a new district and independent municipality, comprising the villages of Buluan, Nangaan, Sanggadong, Simbuhay, Simone, Pedtad, and Tamped. These villages were previously part of the Municipality of Kabacan in North Cotabato but expressed their desire to be included in BARMM after the 2019 plebiscite.
Member of Parliament (MP) Engr. Aida Silongan, who chairs the committee on local government, said the enactment of this bill should have already happened beforehand.
“Personally, this proposed bill, together with other seven bills, creating different municipalities in the Special Geographic Area, is long overdue. This is the right time for the [BTA] Parliament to enact these bills to give you here a geographical and political identity,” she said.
“We will furnish the proposed bill and add those inputs based on your suggestions and recommendations during this consultation,” the Minister said.
Part of the salient features of the proposed measure include the declaration policy, creation of municipality, seat of government, conduct of a plebiscite, appointment of municipal officers, and provision of financial assistance, among others.
Under Section 5 of this bill, it states that the Municipality of Northern Kabacan shall acquire corporate existence upon ratification of its creation by a majority of the votes cast by qualified voters in a plebiscite to be conducted in the barangays comprising the proposed municipality within 60 days after the approval of the Act.
On the appointment of municipal officials, it was stipulated that the first mayor, vice-mayor, and eight (8) members of the Sangguniang Bayan of the new municipality shall be appointed by the BARMM’s Chief Minister.
“They shall continue to hold office until their successor shall have been elected in the next general elections for local officials,” the bill stated.
Essentially, for the proposed municipality’s administration and operation, the bill mandates the Bangsamoro Government to appropriate and provide financial assistance not less than Php2.5-Million every month until such time the new municipality shall have been allocated its share in the Internal Revenue Allotment.
Meanwhile, MP Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, Jr. mentioned that the main reason for the conduct of separate yet simultaneous public consultations for this bill is to gain better insights from BARMM constituents.
“Nya kina aden sa duwatiman a session na para makineg sa mapya su langun nu taw. Lu tampal sa palaw na sya silan sa Brgy. Simone, sya tampal sa baba na sya silan sa Brgy. Pedtad,” he said.
[We have made two separate sessions in Brgy. Simone for those in the upland, and in Brgy. Pedtad for those here in the lowland, for us to engage with our community more effectively.]
Sinolinding said with these separate sessions their team will be able to obtain more inputs from various participants despite the limited time frame before the bill shall be enacted into law in July or August 2023.
Members of civil society organizations (CSOs), traditional leaders, and security groups, including those from the provincial political, social welfare, and sanitation committee of North Cotabato, participated and called to expedite the enactment of the bill.
“Our stance is centered on expediting the creation of the eighth municipalities within the Bangsamoro region. Our recommendation is to designate the proposed Municipality as ‘Northern Kabacan’ to imbue a sense of impartiality in its nomenclature,” said Prof. Khadiguia Ontok-Balah, Executive Secretary of Tupo na Taw sa Laya-Women, Inc. (TTLAW), a group of women from the academe and civil organizations in North Cotabato.
Ontok-Balah suggested that Brgy. Pedtad be chosen as the ideal site for the seat new town, taking into account its strategic position and convenient accessibility for Bangsamoro residents.
“[Pedtad] is in close proximity to neighboring Bangsamoro-dominated barangays in Kabacan, which may potentially opt for inclusion in the future,” the professor added, stressing that the local government of Northern Kabacan is prepared to embrace ‘new promise of success and development’.
To support this idea, traditional leader and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) state Chairman Datu Allan Mantawil emphasized the practicality and efficiency of choosing Brgy. Pedtad as the seat of Northern Kabacan due to its significant land area, which is the largest among all the barangays in the Municipality of Kabacan.
“The heirs of Datu Mantawil have already donated a total of 30,000 sq. meters (3 hectares) of land area located at Brgy. Pedtad (a portion of Lot No. 495) for the said proposed municipality,” Mantawil said.
Mantawil noted that Brgy. Pedtad is considered a “zone of peace” as there was no untoward incident that happened during the height of Martial Law.
Meanwhile, a similar activity was also held on the same day for the creation of seven other municipalities in SGA.
The committee started the consultations for the creation of the Municipalities of Ligawasan, Malmar, and Kapalawa.
Today, June 13, the consultations will continue for the creation of the Municipalities of Tugunan, Kabalukan, Pahamudin, and Kadayangan. (Datu Norhamidin Mamasainged/BIO)
