Sen. Robinhood Padilla on Tuesday filed a bill seeking to create a new autonomous region for the people of Sulu, following its exclusion from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
If passed into law, Senate Bill 2879 would establish the Basulta Autonomous Region, encompassing the provinces of Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi.
“To further promote political stability and economic development in the Sulu archipelago, this bill aims to create an effective political entity and provide a basic structure of government in recognition of the aspirations of the people of Sulu, as well as those in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi,” Padilla said.
The senator emphasized the bill intends to address the specific needs of these island provinces, particularly regarding the delivery of basic services. Additionally, it aims to encourage meaningful and effective governance and sustainable development while respecting the region’s culture, traditions, and diversity.
Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi are currently part of BARMM, which also includes Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Lanao del Sur. However, the Supreme Court declared on September 9 that Sulu is not part of BARMM after its voters rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Under the proposed bill, the new autonomous region would include areas within Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi that consent to its formation through a plebiscite for ratification of its organic act.
The national government would allocate a fair share of the annual national budget and foreign-assisted projects to the autonomous region. Additionally, the Basulta Autonomous Region would have its own Regional Assembly.
The bill also addresses the exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources in Basulta, stipulating that revenues from uranium and fossil fuels may be co-managed and shared equally between the national government and the Basulta government.
Indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples would receive a five-percent share of net revenues from the exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources, including natural gas projects in areas covered by native, traditional, or customary titles.
Lastly, the administration of justice in the autonomous region would adhere to the Constitution, Shari’ah, traditional or tribal laws, and other relevant legal frameworks.
