Barangay execs oppose creation of new BARMM towns

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Corrected July 5, 2023, 9:21 a.m.) — Leaders in an old, historic town in Maguindanao del Norte are opposing efforts of the Bangsamoro parliament to create two new local government units that would cover — and merge — several barangays.

Barangay officials in Datu Odin Sinsuat town told reporters on Monday that they have signed a resolution opposing the creation of the Datu Sinsuat Balabaran municipality.

The establishment of the new municipality is being pushed via a bill authored by lawyer Lanang Tapodoc Ali Jr., a member of the 80-seat parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Bai Ivie Rose Sinsuat, chairwoman of Barangay Tamontaka and president of the Association of Barangay Captains in Datu Odin Sinsuat, said merging 13 out of 34 barangays in their municipality under the proposed municipality can cause conflict among local leaders and their respective constituents.

“We are urging the BARMM parliament to listen to us. We are against that bill aiming to create a municipality covering several barangays, one of which is under my jurisdiction,” Sinsuat said, referring to the bill that has been pending in the regional parliament.

At the same time, Ali, who belongs to the majority bloc in the BARMM parliament, also proposed a separate measure that would form the municipality of Sheik Abas Hamsa, which would also cover several barangays in the territory of Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Members of the Datu Odin Sinsuat Sangguniang Bayan had expressed opposition to both proposals.

Sinsuat and the chairpersons of the 12 other barangays that would be merged under the bills told reporters that their constituents will vote against the proposals in the plebiscite.

There is also a separate bill now in the BARMM parliament, introduced by Baileng Mantawil, seeking the creation of Nuling municipality, whose area would cover more than 10 barangays in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte. This is also being opposed by barangay officials in the area.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article erroneously reported that the barangay leaders opposing the creation of new BARMM towns are in Maguindanao del Sur when it should be Maguindanao del Norte. This has been corrected.