A bill filed by Sen. Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla seeks to create a new autonomous region for the people of Sulu, following its exclusion from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Padilla filed on Tuesday Senate Bill 2879, which establishes the Basulta Autonomous Region composed of Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi provinces.
“To further promote political stability and economic development in the Sulu archipelago, this bill aims to create an effective political entity, provide for its basic structure of government in recognition of the cause of the people of Sulu, and that of the people of the provinces of Basilan and Tawi-tawi,” Padilla said in his bill.
He added the bill seeks to establish the Basulta Autonomous Region to help address the specific needs of the island provinces, particularly in the delivery of basic services.
It likewise “seeks to foster meaningful and effective governance and sustainable development, characterized by respect for culture, traditions, and diversity,” he added.
Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are part of the BARMM, which also covers Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Lanao del Sur.
But the Supreme Court, in a decision dated September 9, 2024 declared Sulu as not part of BARMM after the Sulu voters rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Under the bill, the proposed new autonomous region shall include the city and provinces that shall vote favorably in a plebiscite for the ratification of its organic act in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
The national government shall provide the autonomous region with a proportionate and equitable share in the annual national budget and foreign-assisted projects.
Also, the proposed autonomous region will have its own Regional Assembly.
Meanwhile, the bill provides for sharing in exploration, development and utilization of natural resources in Basulta. In the case of uranium and fossil fuels, these may be co-managed and the revenues shared equally between the national government and Basulta government.
Indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples shall have a five-percent share of net revenues from the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources, including natural gas projects in the territories covered by native, traditional or customary title.
The dispensation of justice in the autonomous region shall be in consonance with the Constitution, Shari’ah, traditional or tribal laws, and other relevant laws.
