COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 18 August) – The proposed allocation for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for 2025 is P105.4 billion, according to the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress.
Of this amount, P83.4 billion is for the Annual Block Grant, P5.9-B as shares in the national taxes collected within the BARMM, and P5-B for the Special Development Fund (SDF).
For 2024, the national government’s allocation for BARMM was P70.5-B for block grant, P5.08B as shares in the national taxes collected within the BARMM, and P5-B for SDF.
RA 11054, the enabling law of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) provides for an annual block grant from the share in the national internal revenue tax collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and collections of the Bureau of Customs.
The seat of power in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in Cotabato City in this file photo taken on 22 September 2021. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO BUENO
The National Government also allocates a Special Development Fund (SDF) of P5-B a year for the BARMM for 10 years, from 2020 to 2029, “for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities.”
The BARMM last year approved P98.5-B budget for 2024. Ubaida Pacasem, Minister of Finance, Budget, and Management announced in October last year that the proposed 2024 budget was to be sourced from the following: P70.5 billion from the Annual Block Grant; P5.08 billion from shares in national taxes collected within the BARMM as provided in the NEP; P5 billion from the Special Development Fund; P471 million from the projected regional taxes; and P17.3 billion from “declared savings from prior years.”
The BARMM’s 2025 budget will be sourced from P105.4-B allocated by the
national government, plus the projected regional taxes and the “declared savings from prior years.”
The 2025 budget will be the last budget the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will pass as the transition period will end on June 30, 2025.
The 2025 BARMM budget will be administered by the BTA until June 30 next year and thereafter will be administered by the first set of elected officials of the BARMM.
The 1st first election of the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament is on May 12, 2025, simultaneous with the local and national polls.
The first set of elected officials will take their oath of office on June 30, 2025, the same day the BTA ceases to function. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
