Senator Bam Aquino (Credits: Senator Bam Aquino via Facebook | Manila Bulletin)

Sen. Aquino: Allocate sufficient funds for BOL transition

• Feb 6, 2019
• Al Iskandar, Luwaran
• HITS: 1091

Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV on Tuesday called on fellow lawmakers to allocate sufficient funds for the full implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to ensure the fulfillment of its mandate to bring peace and order in Mindanao, an online Manila Bulletin report said.

Aquino is a co-author and co-sponsor of BOL.

“We need to make sure there is enough support for the BOL implementation,” Aquino said as quoted by the Bulletin. 

Under the organic law, the MILF-led Bangsamaoro Transition Authority (BTA) will assume the governance in the autonomous region once the COMELEC has ratified the results of the plebiscite in the ARMM, Cotabato City, Isabela City, 6 municipalities in Lanao Del Norte, and in the barangays of North Cotabato that petitioned for inclusion into the BARMM.

“We have long dreamed of this and our Moro brothers fought for this. So we need to make sure the transition would be stalled because of the lack of budget.” Aquino stressed.

The senator noted that the ARMM’s 2019 approved budget of P31.1-billion won’t be enough as the transition to BOL needs around P59- billion.

The Senate version of the proposed 2019 national budget has allotted around P30 billion additional budget for the BOL but still stalled in the bicameral conference committee level, Aquino disclosed.

 Our efforts to pass the BOL would be wasted if we don’t provide funds for the BOL. Let’s give them our full support so the people in Mindanao can finally achieve prosperity and development,” he said. (Source: Manila Bulletin, 02-06-19)

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