Senate President Francis Escudero announced that the budget of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would be examined by senators during the 2025 budget plenary deliberations due to its low absorptive capacity. “Kada budget tinitignan yan:enate President Francis Escudero announced that the budget of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would be examined by senators during the 2025 budget plenary deliberations due to its low absorptive capacity. “Kada budget tinitignan yan, yung absorptive capacity ng kada ahensiya. Kasi nga naman hindi ba medyo makapal ang mukha? Hihingi ng mas malaking budget next year pero hindi naman nila nagagalaw o nauubos yung budget nila sa kasalukuyang taon. Pangunahin na dyan ay ang BARMM,” Escudero stated, highlighting the need to scrutinize the region’s budget usage.

According to Philippines News Agency, The BARMM’s budget is funded annually by the national government through a block grant, additional subsidies, and revenues from natio
nal taxes within the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction. For 2024, the national government allocated PHP70.5 billion for the block grant, PHP5.08 billion as shares in national taxes collected within BARMM, and PHP5 billion for the Special Development Fund (SDF). Despite these allocations, Escudero pointed out that the BARMM government has only utilized 40 to 50 percent of its 2024 budget.

Escudero emphasized the need to understand why BARMM’s spending is low, as unused funds represent wasted fiscal space. He clarified that while the funds are not being decreased or removed, they could be temporarily redirected to other uses to prevent unnecessary national debt accumulation. The Senate President is also preparing to file a bill to postpone the BARMM elections following the Supreme Court’s decision that Sulu is not part of the region, with committee deliberations expected to begin on Thursday.