DBM urged to secure funding for Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines —  House Deputy Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to secure the budget for Sulu in order to prevent disruption of services to the people.

Hataman made the appeal after the Supreme Court (SC) excluded Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The SC ruled that the exclusion of Sulu is final and immediately executory. It said no further pleadings on the matter would be entertained.

Hataman said that as a result of the exclusion, it is now the responsibility of the government to provide funding for Sulu.

He said he raised a similar concern during the second hearing on the proposed postponement of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro region.

Hataman said the DBM has to find ways to provide funding for Sulu, which is approximately P9 billion based on data from BARMM officials.

He said the target budget deficit for 2025 is about P1.53 trillion and securing P9 billion for Sulu would be a challenge for the government.

Hataman said there was no allocation for Sulu under the proposed P6.352-trillion budget for 2025 as the SC decision came out only recently.

He said one of the solutions is to ask the House to include a special provision in the block grant to the BARMM for the Sulu funding.

Hataman urged the government to involve local officials in determining priorities for Sulu.

“The national and provincial governments should discuss ways on how to solve this problem. I hope the government has a plan to ensure continuous services for the people of Sulu because the province has no funds under the 2025 proposed budget,” Hataman said.