Palace thanks Congress for harmonized version of Bangsamoro Organic Law

Malacañang on Thursday reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law before his third State of the Nation Address.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the assurance after the bicameral conference committee on Wednesday passed the harmonized version of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, previously known as the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to ratify the measure when they open the third regular session morning of July 23 and before Duterte delivers his report to the nation.

Duterte is expected to sign the bill into law on the same day.

"As soon as we receive the consolidated version of the proposed Republic Act, the President can sign," Roque told reporters, as he thanked lawmakers and the Bangsamoro Transition Commission for their efforts.

Roque also said he expects Duterte to tackle the measure in his SONA.

Duterte has been pushing for the enactment of the BOL, which aims to end decades of conflict in Mindanao by creating a political entity that would enjoy greater autonomy than the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

According to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, some powers will be devolved to the proposed region such as fiscal autonomy, administration of justice system, control over free ports and economic zones, the power for administrative reorganization, and creation of government-owned-and-controlled corporations.

He added that five percent of the taxes collected, estimated to be at around P60 to P70 billion, will be automatically appropriated to the Bangsamoro Region as block grant, which is on top of its share in the taxes collected within the region.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the proposed BOL could be a good test case for federalism being pushed by the Duterte administration.

Drilon, however, said there was no need to revise the Constitution or shift to a federal form of government to achieve autonomy or self-governance for the local government units. — BM, GMA News