BARMM chief assures employee compensation for defunct region

BARMM interim Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim

COTABATO CITY  ---  Some 6,000 employees who will be affected by the Bangsamoro transition plan will be justly compensated, the chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) assured last September 23.

BARMM interim Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim said the Bangsamoro government has continued to "carefully implement" the transition plan, particularly the "difficult part" of phasing out the employees of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“As I have mentioned before, it’s our commitment to give and work out what is best for the affected employees within the ambit of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the transition plan,” Ebrahim said in a statement.

The assurance was issued by Ebrahim after the affected employees raised their concerns during the regular session of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority last September 20.

“The cabinet will closely look into the issues about the implementation of the gradual phasing out and engage with pertinent national agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to achieve solutions favorable to our affected employees,” he added.

Ebrahim said the BTA and the BARMM Cabinet had conducted another round of orientation to update and operationalize the result of the meeting with the Department of Budget and Management concerning the separation incentives of ARMM employees.

“I am happy to share with this August body that we were able to get most of what our employees desire as they mentioned in the previous consultations which we conducted last month,” Ebrahim said during the BTA session.

“Employees are assured that there are available funds for the separation incentives and that they will be able to get this in lump sum starting later this year,” the chief minister said.

Ebrahim said that ARMM employees are also qualified to apply at the BARMM, adding that the “phase-in” is based on merit and fitness.

The BARMM replaced the ARMM as a result of the approval of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) during a plebiscite held earlier this year.

The fledgling region comprises the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur; the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, and the 63 villages in six towns of North Cotabato province. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ & NOEL PUNZALAN,  PNA – COTABATO / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)