By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The annual internal revenue allotment of the Bangsamoro has been reduced in the approved versions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
According to Senator Cynthia Villar, from the 6 percent of the net national revenue collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs proposed by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, or P72 billion, the yearly IRA of the Bangsamoro in the proposed versions of the BBL was reduced to 5 percent or P59 billion.
The Bangsamoro was also not allowed to submit its own budget because the approval of Congress is required according to law.
“Yung ibibigay ng national government, hindi naman sila kumita nun eh. Dapat subject to the audit and procedures of the national government kasi bigay lang yun,” Villar said.
Based on the approved versions, five years after the BBL is ratified, the government will allocate funds for infrastructure projects and development of Mindanao.
“The BBL is no ordinary bill. The challenge is to make this work so that the long overdue peace and progress that Mindanao and our Muslim brothers and sisters truly deserve can be finally achieved,” Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate committee on local government, said.
