COTABATO CITY — The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), now undergoing deliberations in both Houses of Congress, needs to be clear on its provisions, specifically those that pertain to the transition period, a member of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RLA-ARMM) said Wednesday.
ARMM Assemblyman Abol Alam Padate (2nd District, Lanao del Sur) said he is very much in favor of the BBL.
“However, I stand here as a representative of the people and with the mandate that they have provided me – the mandate, which is to promote and protect the rights of the people,” he said.
On Wednesday, he filed before the assembly “A Resolution Urging the Senate and the House of Representatives to Improve and Enhance the Language of the Proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, specifically the provision pertaining to the transition period.”
Padate said Paragraph 7 of his resolution seeks the rehiring by the future Bangsamoro government of the current ARMM workers since they already possessed the skills and the experience needed for the positions required.
“The proposed BBL should clearly stipulate that the qualified employees being referred to in the bill are the ARMM employees and that they shall be given priority in the rehiring process,” the resolution said.
In a speech introducing his resolution, Padate said a gradual phase-out of workers in the front-line services of the ARMM could adversely affect the administration of the emerging region.
Reports from the region’s Department of Health for example, he said, stated there is even a dire need for more health personnel and to boost the number of hospital beds in the region.
“In fact, there is only one (hospital) bed for every 4,200 people. The need for public health doctors and workers is urgent and yet, we plan to phase them out gradually?” he asked.
The ARMM, he added, also lagged, when compared with other regions, in education and literacy rate. The DepEd ARMM is the biggest employer in the region with over 30,000 teachers.
“The grave impact that the transition period may have on our students should carefully be considered. The future of the Bangsamoro lies in our youth,” he said.
“The ARMM employees’ rights to security of tenure should be clearly stipulated in the proposed BBL,” Padate said, adding that, “while it does say there that qualified employees may reapply and shall be given priority, it is still subject to different interpretations.”
“Let it be clear that we are referring to the qualified ARMM employees. It’s a minor enhancement to the Senate version language. It should not be so difficult,” he said. (PR/PNA)
