COTABATO CITY – Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approved Thursday evening bills establishing eight municipalities comprising the 63 barangays in North Cotabato province that joined the autonomous setup in 2019.
Residents from the 63 barangays, called the Special Geographic Area in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM), are expected to benefit and access essential services, four years after they voted to join the Bangsamoro region.
BTA Bill Nos. 129 to 136, aimed at establishing the proposed municipalities, received unanimous support in the 80-member BTA parliament, the provisional lawmaking body of the region, during their third and final reading on Thursday night.
The proposed towns will be named Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan, and Ligawasan.
Parliament officials said the approval of the bills is a testament to the commitment of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim to prioritize the needs and aspirations of the SGA residents.
Ebrahim earlier urged the lawmakers to fast-track the passage of vital BTA measures, including the creation of new towns in the SGA area.
In 2019, the 63 barangays voted for inclusion in the BARMM as part of their pursuit of self-determination and aspirations for peace and development in their communities.
These villages are situated in the towns of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit, and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato.
In an interview, Mohammad Kelie Antao, a BTA member, said he was elated, and that "it is time for the BARMM government to extend its favor to the SGA residents who made the difficult decision to leave their original municipalities and join the fledgling region."