Deputy Speaker Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Deputy Speaker Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema emphasized on Thursday, February 04, 2021 there are a lot of things ‘to be done’ during the transition period.

In a recent interview with social media platform “Politiko”, Sema emphasized that before the occurrence of Covid-19 global pandemic crisis in 2020, BTA was able to craft a ‘strategic plan’.

“The plan was made in line with the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” Sema said.

Sema stressed on top of these is the enactment of the following “priority legislations”, the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, Bangsamoro Internal Revenue Code, Bangsamoro Indigenous People’s Affairs Code, Bangsamoro Civil Service Code, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, Bangsamoro Local Government Code, and the Bangsamoro Education Code.

“We made a plan in 2020 but we were disrupted by the ongoing pandemic. But even then, we still pursued with our work. We were making laws through virtual meetings such as public consultations so we can consult the public. Luckily, the Bangsamoro Administrative Code has been passed,” Sema stressed.

Sema said at this point, with the recent calls to extend the transition period, BTA continues with its mandate and said ‘we are ready to pass in the plenary the Bangsamoro Civil Service Code hopefully by this February to be followed by the Bangsamoro Education Code’.

To date, five (5) bills have been filed at the House of Representatives, seeking to amend section 13 article XVI of the Republic Act 11054, or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), and to fix the first regular election of the region.

The bills include House Bill 8116, House Bill 8117, House Bill 8161, House Bill 8222, and House Bill 8277 filed by Representatives Loren Legarda, Esmael “Toto” G. Mangudadatu, Ferdinandh Martin G. Romualdez, Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, and Isidro Ungab, respectively.

Midterm Review

With the recent call to conduct a ‘mid-term review’ on the performance of BTA, Sema emphasized the midterm review is a welcome development as far as they are concerned if we will go back to the Organic law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“However, the mid-term review is not the work of the Congress. Audit should be the work of the Intergovernmental Relations Body. Those are the instruments or mechanisms contained in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro 2014 and later enacted in Republic Act 11054,” he said.

Sema emphasized it is the responsibility of the panels to look at the problems of the transition period, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and the operation of the new Bangsamoro government.

“While we welcome the mid-term review, it should be conducted by the proper offices,” Sema stressed. (GALao, Publication and Media Relations Division, BTA Parliament)