Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has approved the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P5 billion for the Special Development Fund (SDF) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The release of the fund is in accordance with Section 2, Article XIV of Republic Act 11054, that the National Government shall provide the SDF with P5 billion annually, for a period of 10 years, to the BARMM Government “for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities.”

"Tulad po ng ipinangako ko, at alinsunod po sa tagubilin ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, patuloy po ang DBM na aalalay sa BARMM sa abot ng aming makakaya. We will ensure that we will help in its smooth transition process and strengthening its communities," Pangandaman said.

“Umaasa po kami na magagamit ng wasto ang pondong ito para matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga komunidad sa BARMM. We hope that BARMM takes advantage of this funding by fully utilizing it to help those in need, and to improve areas that needs further development,” Pangandaman added.

The most recent conflict to have erupted in BARMM was the five-month siege, from May 23 to October 23 2017, of Marawi City ? capital of Lanao del Sur, one of six provinces in the region.

The clash resulted in P17 billion in property damage and lost opportunities, according to Task Force Bangon Marawi, the government inter-agency body in charge of rehabilitation efforts in the conflict zone.

In 2018, Task Force Bangon Marawi said in an initial estimate that at least P49.8 billion is needed to restore affected parts of Marawi.

The allocations shall be directly released by the Bureau of Treasury to the BARMM Government through an authorized government servicing bank (AGSB), subject to cash programming by the National Government. DBM