Author: Nassef Manabilang Adiong

PRLS Director Nassef Manabilang Adiong and LMLAD Chief Atty. Hisham Nazz Biruar were invited as resource speakers during the workshop, “Information Dissemination and Awareness on the Parliamentary Governance in support of the implementation of the Bangsamoro Women Commission Communication and Advocacy Strategy”. They initiated discussions on how women can engage in the BARMM’s parliamentary process on Monday morning, September 26.

Said workshop was facilitated by the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) in partnership with the Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress, Inc. (MOSEP) and The Moropreneur Inc. (TMI). It was also supported by The Asia Foundation (TAF).

The PRLS and BWC believe that women’s political participation in the BARMM region shall be strengthened. They underlined that through “awareness and understanding of the parliament proceedings as women, access to information, and building of effective communication between CSOs and the Parliament,” finer policy drafts and frameworks to serve the needs of the Bangsamoro people better will be established

Because of the implication of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, the National Government agencies are devolving some of their functions to the Local Government Units (LGUs). The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), however, has put forward that the Bangsamoro Government is not required to comply with the devolution transition program.

PRLS Policy Commentary 004, entitled “The Inevitable Transition: Mandanas Ruling Challenge to BARMM Ministries,” describes how the budget of the Bangsamoro Government will be affected, despite DBM’s stand on BARMM’s situation.

The paper points out that the Bangsamoro Government inevitably faces the budgetary constraints of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling and that devolution of its functions to its LGUs should be done immediately to ensure the delivery of affected programs. To realize such task, BARMM Ministries are in the strategic position to specify which programs are feasible to be devolved to BARMM LGUs.

CLICK the download button to access the fact sheet.

PRLS Special Release 002 discusses Mandanas and Environmental policies With the enactment of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, the Local Government Units are now presented with opportunities to realize more programs, as greater resources are allocated to them, with local units being given the authority to make expenditure decisions. 

PRLS Special Series 002, entitled “The Impact of Environmental Decentralization and its Critical Role in Mitigating Environmental Issues in the BARMM Region” explores the question of reasonable environmental decentralization in the Bangsamoro region.

Its author discusses the problems and limitations of devolved environmental function to the LGUs, and how the BARMM government and its LGUs can draw lessons from these conditions. This policy note is part of the PRLS Special Series on Mandanas, which explores different implications of decentralization and its aspects as realized in the BARMM context.

This paper is part of the PRLS Special Series on Mandanas, which explores different implications of decentralization and its aspects as realized in the BARMM context.

CLICK the download button to access the fact sheet.

LOOK: The BTA – Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) served as resource speakers and research mentors during the “2nd Bangsamoro Women’s Commission Policy Research and Formulation Workshop (BWC)” held in Davao City, August 22 – 26, 2022, organized by the BWC with the support of UNDP.

The workshop’s discussions include:

• Policy Research Template by Director Nassef Manabilang Adiong
• Policy Making and Legislative Procedures by LRD Chief Vincent L. Casil * Ethical Concerns in Policy Formulation by Technical Staff Mr. Kebart P. Licayan
• Simplifying Policy Formulation Writing by Technical Staff, Mr. Moh’d Al-Khaleel A. Bogabong
• Qualitative Research Methodology by Technical Staff, Ms. Aisah P. Solaiman
• Quantitative Research Methodology by Technical Staff, Mr. Erschad D. Pabillan
• Mixed Methods Research by Technical Staff, Ms. Anisah U. Lingga

Aside from the joint discussion on crafting policy research, the workshop also provided an avenue to review and revise existing working drafts of policy research on identified gender-related issues, namely:

• the Adoption of the GAD Transformation and Institutionalization through Mainstreaming of Programs, Agenda, Linkages, and Advocacies (GADTIMPALA) Award;
• the creation of women Para-legals at the community level for the prevention of Gender-based Violence;
• the development of Gender Responsive Protocols in Handling CEFM, GBV, and VAW Cases;
• the Development of Gender Disaggregated Data on Education, Employment, and Governance;
• the Development of Magna Carta on Bangsamoro Women
• on Gender Humanitarian Response in Emergencies, SGBV, and VAW Cases, conflict and Natural Calamities; and
• on Monitoring Gender Responsive and Gender Sensitive Facilities in Government Structures, business establishments, and evacuation centers. The workshop concluded through the presentations of the improved versions of policy papers of BWC delegates.

These policy papers will be released on the PRLS website on the last quarter of 2022.