MANILA: The Marcos administration has pledged to ensure that government services in Sulu province will continue without interruption following the Supreme Court’s decision to exclude the province from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the commitment was made during a meeting of the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) on October 11, which involved discussions about the implications of the Supreme Court’s September 9 ruling on Sulu’s status. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, co-chairperson of the IGRB for the national government, emphasized the administration’s dedication to maintaining service delivery during the transition. “The national government will exert all efforts to ensure a smooth transition, taking a whole-of-government approach to continuously deliver essential services in the region,” Pangandaman said in a joint statement.

During the IGRB meeting, BARMM Education
Minister and IGRB co-chairperson Mohagher Iqbal underscored the need for a united effort to protect the interests of Sulu residents. Iqbal highlighted potential challenges that might arise during the transition, such as the payment of salaries for teaching and non-teaching staff, asset management, and other operational matters. He stressed the importance of adopting a collective approach to address these issues and protect the rights and well-being of the people of Sulu.

To facilitate a smooth transition, the IGRB agreed to establish a technical working group (TWG) tasked with developing guidelines to minimize disruptions to essential services. The TWG will also offer recommendations on maintaining operational continuity pending the Supreme Court’s final decision on the matter. Coordination efforts with the Office of the Executive Secretary are underway to issue a directive to the affected offices of the Bangsamoro government, national government, and local government units to ensure continued operations in
Sulu.

This development follows the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision on September 9, 2024, which determined that Sulu would not be part of the BARMM due to the province’s rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law during the 2019 plebiscite. The law, enacted on July 27, 2018, serves as the legal framework for the governance and political structure of the BARMM.

Last month, Pangandaman called for the BARMM and Sulu to maintain the “status quo” following the court’s decision to exclude the province from the region.