DBM allots ₱59-M for Bangsamoro officials’ salaries – Palace

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 2)— Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) are set to receive a ₱59-million budget for their salaries for the remaining months of 2019, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“The Department of Budget and Management would be releasing ₱59 Million for the salary of 82 BTA members for July to December 2019,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement following Monday night’s Cabinet meeting.

The transition body, which holds legislative and executive powers over the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, is composed of members from rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as well as other government appointees.

They will be taking over the region until the first local election takes place in 2022.

Other issues tackled during the latest Cabinet meeting include the delay of the release of BTA funds due to the reenacted budget, appointment of heads of ministries, and the MILF normalization program.

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The Bangsamoro government likewise started crafting a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Higher Education. The deal aims to improve the autonomous region’s access to education.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law was ratified on January 25, 2019. This paved the way for the creation of the new autonomous region.

The Bangsamoro covers areas in the previous Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces, except Isabela City in Basilan), with the addition of Cotabato City and 63 North Cotabato barangays (villages) whose residents approved their inclusion in the new region during the plebiscite.