00:00Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Majority Leader. I seek refuge in God
00:05Almighty from the evils of this earth. In the name of God, the most gracious, the
00:11most merciful. All praise is due to Allah Almighty, the sovereign creator of the
00:16universe, the God of no equal. Peace and blessings be upon the last messenger of
00:21God, the Seal of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
00:28Join what is good, forbid what is wrong. Mr. Speaker, it is on this, on the
00:40premise of this Koranic verse that I address this honorable body
00:45today, a subject that gives me not even an iota of pleasure, rather it grieves
00:54the heart of a former member of the Bangsamoro Parliament such as myself.
01:01Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a matter of collective and personal privilege to
01:08address a grave and urgent matter that threatens the core principles of
01:14good governance, accountability, and the sacred trust placed in us by the people
01:20of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
01:50This is the Barangay Land Bank account. It is worth P500,000 to P2.5 million pesos.
02:00Gradually, the people were led by the Chief Minister of BARMM and ordered and
02:09forced, they were not led, the official barangay members withdrew a large part of
02:16this fund and left only P200,000. This is for special operations, Mr. Speaker.
02:27It was not explained what special operations this is. If it is true, these
02:36people are completely in charge of this and they place the trust of the public in the
02:44administration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regional Government.
02:49Many of these barangay officials refused to accept the fund. They say there is no
02:59clear directive for the use of this and the process for these funds is not clear.
03:08As accountable officers, they have a duty to take care of the safety of the country
03:17and the amount and sudden arrival of funds is a barrier to that duty.
03:25Mr. Speaker, the Local Government Support Fund or LGSF is appropriated under the
03:32Bangsamoro Autonomous Act No. 56 or the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro
03:39which allocates P6,366,000,000 pesos for various initiatives aimed at improving the
03:50It is worth noting, Mr. Speaker, that the Bangsamoro Budget Circular No. 10, series
03:57of 2024, released on May 24, 2024, provides specific guidelines for the release and utilization
04:06of the said LGSF. This circular emphasizes the requirement for a special budget request
04:13from local chief executives before any funds are disbursed.
04:18This aligns closely with the Department of Budget and Management Local Budget Circular
04:24No. 155, series of 2024, which applies similar safeguards to ensure proper fund allocation.
04:33This portion of both circulars was clearly not followed according to civil society watchdogs.
04:41Mr. Speaker, the BARM version of the Budget Circular also pales in comparison to its
04:47national counterpart, especially when it comes to transparency, just and equitable distribution
04:55and reportorial requirements. Furthermore, the DBM Circular includes both general and
05:02specific guidelines, while the BARM Circular lacks specific guidelines for the release
05:09and utilization of LGSF. At its core, the reliance on archaic physical copies leads
05:16to delays and lack of clarity, while at the national level, all requests for LGSF fundings
05:24are already digitalized. While the BARM Circular only requires physical posting of the project
05:32progress reports, the DBM Circular requires that the same be made available through the
05:39LGU's social media accounts. Aside from the issues in these circulars, Mr. Speaker, it
05:45must be noted that the local officials have not been effectively capacitated to effectively
05:52absorb and utilize these funds. The recent events highlight the need to further strengthen
05:59the processes and mechanisms that govern fund utilization. We must ensure that all
06:06stakeholders are adequately informed and equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to implement
06:12programs effectively and transparently. This includes providing comprehensive training
06:19for local officials on budgetary protocols, clear dissemination of guidelines, and robust
06:26monitoring systems to track fund utilization. I must emphasize, Mr. Speaker, that our local
06:33officials have been left in the deep waters in these troubling events. Additionally, there
06:39have been observations from civil society groups and election watchdogs raising alarms
06:45that the disbursement of these funds have been arbitrary and partisan. To address these
06:52concerns, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative to establish mechanisms that guarantee the equitable
06:58and needs-based distribution of these resources. Transparency and accountability must remain
07:05at the forefront of our efforts to uphold the integrity of the Bangsamoro Regional Government
07:11and its institutions, not because elections are just around the corner. Furthermore, Mr.
07:18Speaker, the allocation of such funds without formal requests or detailed implementation
07:25plans violates key provisions of the General Appropriations Act, or GAA, and the Government
07:32Procurement Reform Act, which require strict adherence to budgeting and procurement processes.
07:39These actions also breach Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
07:46for public officials and employees by failing to uphold transparency, accountability, and
07:53integrity. Mr. Speaker, the disbursement of these funds also contravenes the General Appropriations
08:01Act, which governs the lawful use of public resources. Under the GAA, all disbursements
08:09must adhere to detailed, approved programs and protocols. The absence of requests from
08:16barangays and the unauthorized directives violate these provisions. I say it again,
08:23Mr. Speaker, the absence of requests from barangays and the unauthorized directives
08:30violate these provisions. Furthermore, the Government Procurement Reform Act, or RA
08:399184, requires transparency and fairness in the expenditure of public funds. The lack
08:47of competitive procurement and the absence of clear implementation guidelines undermine
08:53the intent of this law. Mr. Speaker, these challenges present an opportunity for us to
09:00reaffirm our commitment to good governance and to ensure that public resources are used
09:06solely to benefit not only selective political allies, but to benefit the entirety of our
09:16communities. By enhancing our systems and processes, we can build a stronger foundation
09:23for inclusive development and sustainable progress in the region, which is the core
09:29principle that guides the moral governance, Mr. Speaker, which is the current political
09:37principle of the current BARM administration. So, Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues,
09:49public servants and the leadership of the BARM, local government officials and all stakeholders
09:56to work collaboratively in addressing these issues. Together, let us institute reforms
10:02that will safeguard public funds, strengthen accountability and restore the confidence
10:08of our people in the government's ability to serve their needs effectively, fairly and
10:16justly. Let us also engage civil society and community leaders in fostering transparency
10:24and inclusivity in our governance practices. The people of my region, the people of the
10:30Bangsamoro, deserve no less than our unwavering dedication to their welfare. By working together,
10:38Mr. Speaker, I believe we can overcome these challenges and continue to build a region
10:43that embodies the values of justice, equality and good governance, a Bangsamoro that fulfills
10:50the aspirations of its people and the vision of our forefathers. Mr. Speaker, I call upon
10:56the attention of this House to direct the appropriate committee to look into these allegations,
11:01Mr. Speaker, because it breaks the very core of the foundation of the BARM administration,
11:07which is anchored on good governance and inclusivity.
11:11Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
11:15Thank you very much, Congressman Adiong, for that privileged speech.
11:26Thank you very much.
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