"x x x.
As for the BBL, every responsible citizen, and especially every public official, has to take a dispassionate and informed view of its provisions in the course of accepting or rejecting it. It’s sheer folly to reject it outright without even bothering to read and understand it, simply on the basis of preconceived notions, deep-set biases and, in particular, one unfortunate incident resulting from blunders by certain individuals. Nor is it right to argue for its outright passage, lock, stock and barrel, without a reasonable understanding of its implications for every Filipino, whether or not from Mindanao or the Bangsamoro itself.
A particularly sticky point has to do with the proposed budgetary allocations for the Bangsamoro region, with the number P75 billion having been widely quoted. It has been made to sound like largesse to be handed on a platter to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Some see it as being no different from a pork barrel. It’s not clear how the P75 billion figure was derived, but here’s what the draft BBL provides:
First is the annual block allocation already being provided for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (to be subsumed under the new Bangsamoro region), which is P24.3 billion in 2015 and estimated at P27 billion by 2016. Provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays therein will continue to receive their Internal Revenue Allotment, totaling P18 billion in 2015, and probably P20 billion by 2016. National government agencies will continue undertaking national programs and projects that will benefit the region along with the rest of the country. These include national roads and other infrastructure from the concerned agencies and the conditional cash transfers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, among others. The amount varies yearly for such national programs, but P15 billion would be a liberal estimate as the region’s share. Note that these will be handled by the national agencies concerned, not handed as a lump sum to the Bangsamoro government.
New items will be the Special Development Fund for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Development (P7 billion), a Normalization Fund for various agencies to support social programs for ex-combatants (P4 billion), and operational support for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (P1 billion), all totaling P12 billion. Everything else above consists of regular budget provisions, BBL or no BBL (this may not be clear enough to critics).
Will these sums go the way of the notorious pork barrel? It’s highly unlikely, with their use to be defined by the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), a professionally run organization that has for years been assisted by the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and other donor agencies. The BDA has done the homework, including the formulation of a well-crafted Bangsamoro Development Plan. The plan counts a detailed listing of development projects for which the funds will be used. Providing such funds for the benefit of the people of the region (not the MILF!) is a natural function of the central government, which must address poverty where it’s at its worst.
x x x."
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/84099/bbl-through-a-clearer-lens#ixzz3XHKVUyfn
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