Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday welcomed the submission of the Third National Government and Bangsamoro Government Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) Progress Report to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Established under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the IGRB serves as a mechanism for coordination and cooperation between the national government and the Bangsamoro government.
The 3rd IGRB Progress Report was submitted to President Marcos Jr. by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal — co-chairs of the IGRB, during a simple ceremony held at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace Wednesday morning.
“The submission of this progress report to President Marcos is a significant milestone in our collective efforts to foster lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” said Speaker Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus membefs House of Representatives.
“The continuous collaboration between the National Government and the Bangsamoro Government is essential in addressing the unique challenges faced by our fellow Filipinos in BARMM,” he added.
The IGRB aims to address intergovernmental concerns, ensure the effective implementation of programs and projects in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and foster lasting peace and development in the region.
According to Speaker Romualdez, the submission of the Third IGRB Progress Report signifies a substantial step forward in the ongoing pursuit of peace, stability and inclusive growth in the region.
“The progress we have achieved thus far in our journey towards lasting peace is a testament to the power of unity and a shared vision in line with the spirit of ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ where no one is left behind,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“The House of Representatives remains fully committed to supporting the development of BARMM as a critical component of our peace initiatives,” he stressed.
The House is set to begin its hearings next week on the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025, which includes an P83.4 billion fund as Annual Block Grant to the BARMM.
President Marcos said the Third IGRB report, which details the accomplishments and ongoing initiatives of the IGRB, is a testament to the fruitful partnership between the national government and the BARMM and an “enduring commitment to peace and development.”
He noted that the IGRB has activated last year seven mechanisms, which will serve as the foundation for the implementation of laws and policies enacted by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament.
These mechanisms include the Philippine Congress-Bangsamoro Parliament Forum (PCBPF), Intergovernmental Fiscal Policy Board (IFPB), Joint Body for the Zones of Joint Cooperation (JBZJC), Intergovernmental Infrastructure Development Board (IIDB), Intergovernmental Energy Board (IEB), Bangsamoro Sustainable Development Board (BSDB) and the Council of Leaders (COL).
Meanwhile, Romualdez expressed hopes for peaceful and orderly elections in May 2025 to elect members of the 80-seat parliament of the BARMM, the first-ever regular election for the parliament of the autonomous region.
“Let us all work together to ensure the peaceful, orderly, and honest exercise of our democratic right of suffrage to protect the gains we have achieved in the long and arduous struggle for peace,” Romualdez said.
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