Palace urged to extend IRA to ARMM towns

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines --- Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the provincial mayors’ league expressed support to the bid of regional lawmakers for presidential approval on the grant of monthly Internal Revenue allotment (IRA) to a dozen towns not receiving the fund from the national government.

The ARMM’s 24-seat Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) passed last week a resolution urging the national government to release monthly IRA to the 12 towns, which were created from between 2006 and 2009 by the regional law-making body.

The proponent of the resolution, Maguindanao 2nd District Assemblyman Khadafeh Mangudadatu, said the RLA is seeking Malacanñng’s immediate action on the issue.

Seven of the 12 towns --- Northern Kabuntalan, Salibo, Datu Hofer, Pandag, Mangudadatu, Datu Blah Sinsuat and Saidona Mustapha --- are located in Maguindanao.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, in an emailed statement, said his office and the league of mayors in the province support the effort of the RLA.

Gov. Mangudadatu said providing IRA to the “IRAless” towns will enable local officials to pursue projects and activities supporting the Mindanao peace process.

Hataman, who has political jurisdiction over Maguindanao, said he is optimistic the national government will respond positively to the clamor for the release of IRA to the 12 towns.

The RLA's resolution, which Assemblyman Mangudadatu proposed, underscored the need for the grant of monthly IRA to the 12 towns for the municipal governments to effectively deliver basic services to local communities without delays.

The 12 towns were created by the RLA, which, under Republic Act 9054, can create barangays and municipalities as long as the process does not alter or marginalize the territories of each of the eight congressional districts in the autonomous region.

The RLA is comprised of three legislators from each of the eight congressional districts in the autonomous region, which covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The ARMM has more than 100 towns scattered in its five component-provinces.