Cotabato City (July 07, 2020) – Bangsamoro Government Chief Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim reminded the ministries, agencies, and offices of the region to plan their budget according to the eight (8) development goals identified in the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2020-2022.
The BDP entails the development plans of the BARMM and its provinces during the transition period, including the development of airports, tourism, forestry, land acquisition, among others. It was recently approved by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament via resolution on July 3.
During a budget forum dubbed “2021 Bangsamoro Budget Call” held Tuesday, July 7, Ebrahim presented the said development goals, namely:
1. Establish the foundations for inclusive, transparent, accountable, and efficient governance;
2. Uphold peace, security, public order and safety, and respect for human rights;
3. Create a favorable enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable economic development;
4. Promote Bangsamoro identity, cultures, and diversity;
5. Ensure access to and delivery of quality services for human capital development;
6. Harness technology and innovations to increase socio-economic opportunities and improve government services;
7. Increase strategic and climate-resilient infrastructure to support sustainable socio-economic development in the Bangsamoro Region; and
8. Improve ecological integrity, and promote and enhance climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction to sustain resilience of communities in the Bangsamoro.
The forum, spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management (MFBM), was attended by the budget, planning, and accounting officers of the BARMM’s different ministries, agencies, and offices.
Discussed during the forum were the policies and guidelines in preparing the ministries’ budget proposals, which include the expenditure management framework, general and specific guidelines in budget preparation, and the indicative budget preparation calendar.
Ebrahim, who is also the minister of MFBM said: “We should plan our operations so that all our programs, projects, and activities are geared towards the gradual achievement of those eight development goals”, noting that a well-planned budget is a step closer in achieving them.
Meanwhile, BARMM Regional Darul Ifta Grand Mufti Abu Hurairah Udasan and MFBM Deputy Minister Atty. Ubaida Pacasem presented the budgeting in the Islamic perspective and the budget call, respectively.
On July 3, 2020, the MFBM released the Bangsamoro Budget Memorandum No. 2020-01 or the Bangsamoro Budget Call for the Fiscal Year of 2021 which signals the first of the four-phased budget cycle of the BARMM.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the regional government’s adoption of the Cash Budgeting System (CBS) as well as the consolidation of autonomous regional government funds to the Single Treasury Account (STA), among others.
“This strengthens the focus and accountability of the government,” Ebrahim stressed. “Making sure all targeted operations are on schedule, all budget entrusted are fully disbursed within the fiscal year.”
The CBS requires the appropriated budget to include “adequately planned and coordinated” programs, projects, and activities that will be delivered and executed within the fiscal year of 2021.
Last year, the BTA approved the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 3, the legislation which appropriated the funds for the operation of the Bangsamoro Government for 2020.
The appropriations act laid down all the funds allotted to each ministry and office in the BARMM. The 2020 legislation was crafted anchoring the Twelve Point Priority Agenda (12PPA) of the Interim Chief Minister as aligned with the Duterte Administration’s 0+10 Point Socio-Economic Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan.
Article VII, Section 27 of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), states that “no public money, including the block grant and other national government subsidies and support funds given in lump sum, shall be spent without an appropriations law clearly defining the purpose for which it is intended. The Parliament shall pass an annual appropriations law.” (Bureau of Public Information)
