Non-IRA BARMM towns to be funded

COTABATO CITY ---  Eleven municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that have not been receiving Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) since its creation will start receiving their share within the first quarter of this year, a BARMM official said last February 12.

Only recently, residents and officials of an IRA-less town in Maguindanao have held a “kanduli” (thanksgiving rite) after learning that their local government unit will start receiving their IRA this year.

“BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim has spoken with the mayors of the 11 municipalities on the latest development,” Abdullah Cusain, BARMM deputy executive secretary, said in an interview with reporters here.

The 11 towns are Datu Salibo, Datu Hoffer, Mangudadatu, Pandag, Northern Kabuntalan, Datu Blah Sinsuat, and Datu Anggal Midtimbang in Maguindanao, as well as Akbar, Al-Barka, Hadji Muhtamad, and Mohammad Ajul in Basilan.

The defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao created the towns from 2005 to 2008.

Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government said that the Department of Budget and

Management will set the amount of the monthly IRA for the 11 BARRM towns.

Sinarimbo, together with BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal and Environment Minister Abdulraof Macacua, were present during the thanksgiving event in Barangay Pura, Datu Blah Sinsuat.

Datu Blah Sinsuat Mayor Marshall Sinsuat has lauded the regional and national government for their IRA.

“We can’t thank them enough for all the support they have been extending to our LGU,” Sinsuat said in his speech during the “kanduli” in his town last February 8. (Edwin Fernandez, PNA - Cotabato)