COTABATO CITY — Another three proposed measures aimed at reorganizing ministries in the region entered on first reading this afternoon, September 29.
Parliament Bill Nos. 47, 48, and 49, entitled Bangsamoro Education Reorganization Act of 2022, Bangsamoro Environment and Energy Act of 2022, and the Bangsamoro Commissions Merging Act of 2022, are among the proposed measures.
Member of the Parliament Engr. Baintan Adil-Ampatuan, main author of the proposed bills, cited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s rightsizing program, which strives to strengthen the government’s capacity to perform its mandate and provide better services by making better use of existing resources.
PB No. 47 aims to provide an educational framework for the Bangsamoro educational system and its agencies that will allow them to function at their utmost efficiency.
The proposed measure will reorganize the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education by dividing it into four agencies: the Ministry of Basic Education, Bangsamoro Commission on Higher Education and Development, Bangsamoro Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and Bangsamoro Madaris Education Office.
Although the MBHTE is divided into various bureaus that deal with different levels of basic, higher, and technical education, MP Ampatuan believes that its organizational structure may be improved.
PB No. 48, proposes reorganizing and splitting the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy into two ministries: the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Energy.
One ministry will deal with the environment and natural resources, while the other will deal with energy.
The MENR will be responsible for the region’s environment, natural resources, and potential energy sources, as well as their exploration, proper utilization, management, conservation, protection, and sustainable development.
While the MoE is responsible for managing the Bangsamoro government’s energy sector, including its exploration, development, usage, distribution, and conservation efforts.
MP Ampatuan also proposed legislation to streamline relevant Bangsamoro Commissions, merging and restructuring them into a single institution.
The three commissions, namely the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission, Bangsamoro Youth Commission, and Bangsamoro Sports Commission, will be merged under proposed PB No. 49.
The Bangsamoro Commission on Women, Youth, and Sports will be mandated to promote, protect, and uphold the rights and interests of women and youth, as well as promoting and developing sports.
Ampatuan said that there is a need for coordination and synchronization amongst the three commissions since their intended beneficiaries are common.
Meanwhile, MP Ampatuan also filed PB No. 50, or the Bangsamoro Playground Act of 2022, which would require all schools in the region to establish children’s playgrounds.
Ampatuan reiterated that play is crucial to every child’s healthy development as it stimulates the child’s brain, paving the way for the child to acquire language skills and emotional regulation.
“Especially nowadays, as kids would much rather spend numerous hours consuming media and playing games on smartphones, computers, and televisions, rather than playing physical games,” she said.
“The playgrounds will be a safe place for children to be themselves while developing crucial cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and imaginative skills that are necessary to gain self-confidence and advance critical thinking capabilities,” Ampatuan added. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
