BARMM legislators bat for creation of parliamentary districts in Special Geographic Area

COTABATO CITY — A measure that seeks to divide the Bangsamoro Region’s Special Geographic Area into two parliamentary districts has been filed by Bangsamoro lawmakers on the last day of session before its mandatory adjournment.

Member of the Parliament Mohammad Kelie Antao, the principal author of Parliament Bill No. 122, has proposed splitting the SGA into two districts, with separate representatives for each.

The SGA is composed of the 63 barangays in North Cotabato that voted yes in the 2019 plebiscite to become part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

MP Antao explained that the creation of two parliamentary districts in the SGA is essential as it will provide constituents with representatives who will advocate for them before the legislative body.

Parliamentary district seats are defined in the recently approved Bangsamoro Electoral Code as seats in the Parliament for those elected under a registered regional political party or coalition using a proportional representation system.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law states that the Parliament may undertake new redistricting by law to ensure more equitable representation of constituencies in the Parliament.

Redistricting, merging, or creating parliamentary districts will be based on the number of inhabitants and additional provinces, cities, municipalities, and geographical areas that will become part of the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction.

Under PB No. 122, the first parliamentary district will be composed of 33 barangays with a cumulative population of 103,233 and an annual income of P120.66 million.

The 33 barangays are Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Datu Mantil, Kadingilan, Lower Pangangkalan, Libungan Torreta, Matilac, Patot, Upper Pangangkalan, Lower Baguer, Simsiman, Central Labas, Kapinpilan, Malingao, Mudseng,

Sambulawan, Tugal, Tumbras, Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kudarangan, Nabalawag, Olandang, Macasandeg, Dungguan, Bagoinged, Barungis, Bulol, Buliok, Gli-Gli, Kabasalan, and Rajamuda.

Meanwhile, the barangays of Bualan, Lagunde, Panicupan, Manaulanan, Balong, Pamalian, Makabual, Tapodoc, Balongis, Batulawan, Fort Pikit, Gukotan, Nabundas, Nunguan, Nalapaan, Kibayao, Kitulaan, Langogan, Manarapan, Nasapian, Pebpoloan, Tupig, Buluan, Nangaan, Pedtad, Sanggadong, Simone, Simbuhay, and Tamped will comprise the 29 barangays in the SGA second parliamentary district.

The second parliamentary district has a total land area of 515 square kilometers, a combined population of 112,210, and an annual income of P125.17 million.

Antao said that the proposed bill’s passage would hasten the region’s social and economic growth.

According to the Bangsamoro electoral code, parliamentary districts are apportioned based on population and geographical area for redistricting purposes, provided that each district includes, as far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territorial jurisdiction and has a population of at least 100,000 people. Along with Antao, the proposed bill is introduced by MPs Mohagher Iqbal, Atty. Lanang Ali, Jr., and Engr. Aida Silongan.

MP Sema calls for a registry of skilled workers in BARMM

COTABATO CITY — A measure seeking to establish a system of a registry of all skilled workers in the Bangsamoro region that will serve as a database containing information that can be used to effectively match their skills to employment opportunities entered on first reading.

A labor rights advocate, Member of the Parliament

Romeo Sema, principally authored BTA Bill No. 124, or the Bangsamoro Skilled Workers Registry Act, noting that the region’s growing economy entails an increase in job opportunities and a higher demand for skilled workers.

The system of registry will connect skilled workers with employers in need of their services.

Sema said the bill aims to address unemployment by matching the demand of employers with the pool of skilled workers.

He described the registry as a useful tool for identifying available human resources across all BARMM political units.

He added that the registration will help the BARMM government identify the capabilities it needs in order to expand further and create appropriate policies.

Each barangay in BARMM will be responsible for physically or digitally registering the skilled workers in their respective areas under the proposed measure. It will develop plans and guidelines for compiling the necessary information to take advantage of the skilled work force.

Barangays are responsible for keeping records of the information they collect and submitting them to the relevant municipal and provincial Public Employment Service Offices (PESO).

Each provincial office’s PESO is responsible for collecting data from its constituent municipalities, maintaining its own data records, and compiling the consolidated data for submission to the Bureau of Employment, Promotions, and Welfare within the BARMM’s Ministry of Labor and Employment.

The registry will compile a database of data, including, but not limited to, names, ethnicities, addresses, contact information, skills, training, and professional certifications, and employment experience, among others.

Sema emphasized that no fees will be charged to skilled workers for registration.

Once approved, the repository will be open to the public, including employers, recruitment agencies, government offices, other PESO offices, and private individuals seeking the services of skilled workers, subject to the provisions of the Data Privacy Act.

Bangsamoro lawmakers push for hospital construction, protection of Dimapatoy watershed in Maguindanao del Norte

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro lawmakers are pushing for the establishment of hospitals in Maguindanao del Norte and declaring the Dimapatoy watershed as a “protected area” in the BARMM.

Two proposed measures entered on first reading, seeking to construct hospitals in the municipalities of Datu Blah Sinsuat and Northern Kabuntalan to serve the Bangsamoro constituencies with highly accessible, affordable, comprehensive health care, and hospital services.

Filed by Engr. Baintan AdilAmpatuan, Parliament Bill No. 123 calls for the construction of a municipal hospital in Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

In October 2022, severe tropical storm Nalgae, locally known as ‘Bagyong Paeng,’ wreaked havoc in the Bangsamoro region.

Barangay Pura in Maguindanao was one of the villages severely impacted by the tropical storm.

“The tragedy left the situation impenetrable. Worse, the local government of the municipality and its health response units did all they could but could not effectively respond to those who were badly affected and injured because they had no local hospital,” Ampatuan explained.

The proposed Pura Municipal Hospital will begin as an infirmary with a capacity of at least 10–15 beds.

The said hospital may be upgraded into a higher facility with a larger capacity based on the Ministry of Health’s evaluation and recommendation.

Another Bangsamoro legislator, MP Hashemi Dilangalen, a medical doctor, is also advocating for the establishment of a hospital in Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao del Norte.

The Northern Kabuntalan Municipal Hospital (NKMH), a level I general hospital with fifty beds, will be under the direct administrative and technical supervision of the Integrated Maguindanao Provincial Health Office.

Northern Kabuntalan is home to 26,000 people, and according to MP Dilangalen, they rely solely on a rural health unit for their medical needs.

Cases that exceed the RHU’s capabilities are referred to hospitals located outside of the municipality.

“The lack of a local hospital adds logistical and financial burdens for the patients, especially the less fortunate,” said Dilangalen, noting that the situation presents an immediate need to provide residents with an accessible hospital service.

Once PB No. 139 is passed, the IMPHO will prepare a hospital development plan in consultation with the BARMM’s Ministry of Health, in accordance with sound hospital administration principles.

The BARMM’s MOH will consult with the local government units of Maguindanao del Sur and the municipality of Northern Kabuntalan, as well as other relevant stakeholders, to determine the location of the hospital.

PB No. 139 was also coauthored by MPs Eddie Alih, Suharto Esmael, Amilbahar Mawallil, Nabila Margarita Pangandaman, and Abdulraof

Macacua.

Meanwhile, other Bangsamoro lawmakers are also eyeing to declare the Dimapatoy Watershed in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, as a protected area in BARMM.

The Metro Cotabato Water District, which serves the cities of Cotabato and Maguindanao, also suffered severe damage from Tropical Storm Paeng.

“This is attributed to the lack of trees that could hold the heavy rains around the area,” said Ampatuan, the main author of BTA Bill No. 126.

Among the proposed bill’s protection and preservation measures for the Dimapatoy Watershed are annual tree planting inside the watershed and within its adjacent areas, as well as the deployment of forest guards in stations at the watershed’s entry and exit points.

PB Nos. 123 and 126 were cosponsored by MPs Romeo Sema, Suwaib Oranon, Amilbahar Mawallil, Atty. Laisa Alamia, Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Atty. Rasol Mitmug Jr., Rasul Ismael, Khalid Hadji Abdullah, Jaafar Apollo Mikhail Matalam, and Bassir Utto