COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua has asked executives of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to lessen “SOP” demands from contractors.
Macacua, speaking during the Bangsamoro Government Executive – Legislative Forum 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria on Monday, was smiling when he taunted local chief executives regarding the SOP, or “standard operating procedure,” which he said is the primary cause of project delays across the region.
In Philippine politics, SOP is euphemism for kickback, bribery or corruption.
“Pedi ko nang sabihin dito na tayong mga LGUs, mga executives, medyo kulangkulangan ang pagdemand ng mga SOPs sa mga contractors natin (I can say here now that us in the LGUs, the executives, let us lessen our demand for SOPs from our contractors),” the chief minister said in his speech streamed live on the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament Facebook page.
The Senate, in a press release in September 2008 during debates on budget insertions for road projects, quoted Senator Loren Legarda as saying that “kickbacks from government purchases are called SOP. Bribery to get government approval is called SOP.”
Legarda added that “corruption in government always presents itself as normal and regular. Corruption always wants to hide in plain sight. That is why corrupt people call what they do ‘SOP’.”
Macacua said that when he asked many contractors why they hadn’t finished their projects, the usual reply was, “Sir, nahirapan po kami sa mga LGUs (we’re having difficulty dealing with LGUs).”
He highlighted that contractors are frequently overwhelmed by non-official charges imposed at the local level.
Macacua noted that eliminating these unofficial fees is essential for protecting public funds and ensuring that every peso allocated for the Bangsamoro people is utilized effectively.
He urged local officials to improve implementation of programs. “LGUs must ensure that projects are completed, monitored, and sustained,” he added.
Beyond the issue of corruption, the Chief Minister underscored the need for better alignment between the regional government and local government units.
He warned that a lack of coordination results in a massive waste of resources and insisted that projects must be monitored from start to finish to ensure they are sustainable.
The Executive – Legislative Forum 2026 is themed “Aligning Leadership and Legislative Priorities para sa Mas Matatag na Bangsamoro.”
The initiative seeks to strengthen coordination between the Bangsamoro government and regional local government units.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad S. Yacob said that Parliament provides policy direction while LGUs deliver results on the ground.
“This is why our partnership is important. We pass laws — you bring them to life. We define policies — you translate them into services,” he said.
“For a parliament to maintain legitimacy, it is highly crucial that accountability and transparency to the people should take place systematically throughout the parliament’s tenure term,” he added. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
