Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 20) — Lawmakers on Wednesday promised the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in a plenary session by March 2018.
But where will the money to implement it come from?
Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, expressed concern the bill may not be passed in time for the Budget Department’s call for the 2019 National Expenditure Program.
She said the possible passage of the bill in March may “overshoot” the deadline for the budget call, which usually takes place during the first semester of the year.
“(All) of these will be ink on paper … if we promise to our people what is not funded in the 2019 NEP (National Expenditure Program),” Legarda said in remarks at the Senate Subcommittee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law’s hearing today. “So the timeline here is of utmost importance and urgency,” the senator added.
The National Expenditure Program is the proposed annual budget submitted by the President to Congress and is the basis for the General Appropriations Act, which sets the national budget.
The BBL is the result of the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which seeks to address decades-old grievances and create lasting peace in Mindanao.
It will replace the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which will give more autonomy to the Moros in the south.
According to the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) version of the BBL, P100 billion called a “Special Development Fund” shall be allocated for the first 20 years of the Bangsamoro government, to “rebuild its conflict-affected communities and catch up with the rest of the country.”
P10 billion shall be given for the first year following the ratification of the law, the bill added.
But Legarda pointed out it may be hard to include the budget in the NEP if the BBL has not been passed yet.
“Kasi I see all these B’s, billions here, alam ba ng mga gabinete yan, pagpresent nila ng kanilang NEP, nandun na ito. They will say, bakit namin ilalagay sa NEP, eh hindi pa naman naisabatas, so it’s chicken or the egg. They will not put it there, it’s not yet a law. The law will be passed, it’s not in the NEP,” Legarda added.
[Translation: I see all the B’s, billions here. Will the cabinet members include it in their NEP? They will say, why should we include it when it’s not yet a law. It’s a chicken or egg problem. They will not put it there, it’s not yet a law. The law will be passed, it’s not in the NEP.]
The passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law is one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign promises. In late November, he said he “will work very hard” and will even call for a special session of the Congress for the passage of the law.
READ: Duterte receives copy of new BBL draft
An earlier draft BBL failed to pass in the last Congress after the bloody 2015 Mamasapano encounter where 44 elite troops of the Philippine National Police were killed by a splinter group of the MILF.
