BTA consults more sectors on proposed Admin Code

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) continues to gather the concerns and suggestions from various sectors to further polish the proposed Bangsamoro Administrative Code, through a series of public consultations held last week.

Among the participants invited during its fifth round of consultation on Saturday, August 22, held at the BTA Executive Lounge in the city, were the education sector, women sector, youth, farmers and fisherfolks, labor groups, non-Moro indigenous peoples (IPs), Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) personnel, settler communities, and Bangsamoro representatives residing outside the BARMM.

“The Members of Parliament (MP) in the panel will not deliberate during the time of the consultation but may ask clarifications to our resource persons. What we are doing is hearing their concerns and suggestions,” MP Atty. Raissa Jajurie noted in one of the consultations.

Among the mutual concerns raised during the said consultations include human resources and personnel structure, hiring process, infrastructure, and funding.

Furthermore, concerns in the definition of terms of the said legislation, including the functions and positions of the executive and the legislative branches were also raised.

According to Jajurie, the invited resource persons are requested to submit their position papers, comments, suggestions, and concerns on the proposed Administrative Code and will be collated by the panel on or before August 27, 2020.

“We will consider these concerns and suggestions before we enact the Bangsamoro Administrative Code,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the panel also invited employees from the provincial and municipal offices of the BARMM ministries during its fourth round of consultations last Wednesday, August 19, at EM Manor Hotel in the city.

The Bangsamoro Administrative Code is said to be a legislation to determine the structure, functions, and procedures of the BARMM during and after the transition period. The said bill detailed the ministries, offices, and commissions of the Bangsamoro Government, among others.

It was presented to the plenary late July, together with the Local Governance Code and the Civil Service Code. The passage of the said three codes are mandated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

Moreover, Jajurie earlier explained that the panel is not a sub-committee and was constituted by the Committee on Rules, primary committee to deliberate the said proposed bill, to facilitate the said consultation.

Another consultation will be held on Wednesday morning, August 26, with local chief executives, including mayors and barangay officials, at the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BDPA) Conference Hall. (Bureau of Public Information)