Good news for BARMM public school teachers: SALARIES ON THE WAY

By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

April 9, 2019

MARAWI CITY: Personnel of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will now be relieved of their worry on the delay of their salaries and operating expenses since the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) turned over powers to BARMM as the new regional government can now disburse salaries and maintenance and other operating expenses of its agencies starting on Tuesday.

Image result for BARMM education ministry logoAbdullah M. Cusain, Assistant Executive Secretary of the Office of BARMM’s Chief Minister said its Finance, Budget and Management Services has already transmitted on Monday to the Land Bank of the Philippines, Cotabato City Branch, the Notices of Transfer of Allocation (NTAs).

Cusain said the NTA is the notice/letter/authority being issued every now and then to the bank allowing or informing it that specified amount be credited to a particular agency or office.

This means the offices and agencies of the BARMM can disburse their salaries and operating expenditures beginning on Wednesday.

Among BARMM employees who have been vocal in expressing complaints against the delay of their salaries are public school teachers from Marawi City and Lanao del Sur whose children would be graduating at the end of 2018-2019 school year.

BARMM personnel had also been anxious that the delay of their salaries might overtake the coming Ramadan in which Muslims will fast for about thirty days and that they would have no preparation for the religious tenet.

Cusain pointed out that the regular budget for March and April 2019 was credited to BARMM account only last April 1.

"Due to the voluminous paperwork and considerable man-hour needed to produce the NTAs, it was only on Monday that said documents were given to our depository bank,” he added.

Cusain said, “Some administrative matters, such as the need for a new Agency Code, caused the delay particularly for the month of March. We understand how this delay affected the employees, especially the teachers. That is why we tried, and were able to convince the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the budget for March and April as soon as possible.”

He advised the BARMM employees to direct their queries to their respective finance officials who were already made aware of the downloaded budget since early last week..

“The fact is, various offices and units have already prepared their payrolls, including the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education, formerly DepED,” Cusain presumed. (MNY)