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Anti-dynasty provision in BBL approved by Senate panel

• Mar 4, 2018
• Al Iskandar, Luwaran
• HITS: 1579

A Senate panel has approved the inclusion of an anti-dynasty provision in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which would prohibit the election of related government officials in the parliament, said a report by Manila Bulletin on March 1.

During his sponsorship speech for the proposed BBL, after the Senate Sub-Committee terminated its hearings and public consultation on the proposed Law, and passed through the technical working group, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who chairs the subcommittee endorsed the measure on February 28 for plenary debates.

In a press briefing, Zubiri said the Senate panel-approved BBL has an anti-dynasty provision stating that no party representative should be related to a district representative or another party representative in the parliament within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.

Zubiri admitted that the inclusion of such controversial provision was a subject of heated debates during the subcommittee’s technical working group meetings.

He said components of the technical working group later agreed to limit the coverage of the provision within the 80-member parliament of the proposed Bangsamoro region.

This, he said, would “protect the parliament” and make sure that “the best and the brightest” even those who are not from the political sector, but “can deliver such good governance” will be placed in the Bangsamoro parliament.

In the same article by Manila Bulletin, it says that under the proposed BBL, a chief minister will serve as head of government with his own cabinet members. The chief minister will be elected by members of the parliament, which will be composed of party, and district representatives, as well as from other sectors.

The proposed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region shall enjoy fiscal autonomy and be granted with a block grant amounting to six percent of the government’s annual revenue.

A special development fund of P100 billion, which will be released in 10 equal installments every year, was also allotted to the region to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure due to war.

The region will also get a majority share of taxes collected from its people. (Source: Manila Bulletin)

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