Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 54

PB. No. 190

BANGSAMORO TRANSITION AUTHORITY PARLIAMENT Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Republic of the Philippines

Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

BANGSAMORO AUTONOMY ACT NO.54

Begun and held in Cotabato City, on Thursday, the 15th day of September 2022.

AN ACT CREATING THE MUNICIPALITY OF DATU SINSUAT BALABARAN

IN THE PROVINCE OF MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR,AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in Parliament assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. -- In the exercise of genuine autonomy and self- governance, the Bangsamoro Government is empowered to create, divide, merge, abolish, or substantially alter boundaries of municipalities or barangays in accordance with a law enacted by the Parliament. The municipalities or barangays created, divided, merged, or whose boundaries are substantially altered shall be entitled to their appropriate share in the national taxes or National Tax Allocation: Provided, That it shall be approved by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the political units directly affected

SEC. 2. Creation of the Municipality. - The Barangays of Tapian, Linek, Dinaig Proper Tamontaka, Tanuel, Kusiong, Mompong, Semba, Capiton, Tambak, Badak, Awang and Dulangan are hereby separated from the Municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality to be known as Municipality of Datu Sinsuat Balabaran which is hereby created in the province of Maguindanao del Norte.

SEC. 3. Seat of Government. -- The seat of government of the Municipality of Datu Sinsuat Balabaran shall be established in Barangay Tamontaka which shall be known hereafter as the "Poblacion. "

SEC. 4. Territorial Boundary. -- The Municipality of Datu Sinsuat Balabaran contains a land area of one hundred forty-three million nine hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred five (143,984,505) square meters. The territorial boundary of the new municipality shall follow the existing boundaries of the constituent barangays as enumerated above. The territorial boundary of the new

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Municipality shall be bounded as described in the Technical Description attached as ANNEX 1b hereof

SEC. 5. Plebiscite Requirement. The Municipality of Datu Sinsuat Balabaran shall acquire

in a plebiscite to be conducted in the barangays comprising the municipality pursuant to Section 2 corporate existence upon ratification of its creation by a majority of the votes cast by qualified voters

hereof within sixty (60) days after the approval of the Act.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) shall conduct and supervise the plebiscite. The expenditure in holding the plebiscite shall be taken out of the Contingent Fund of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) under the appropriations of fiscal year 2024.

SEC. 6. Appointment of Municipal Officials. -- The municipal government shall be composed of a municipal mayor, a municipal vice-mayor, and eight (8) members of its Sangguniang Bayan who shall be appointed by the Chief Minister of the BARMM immediately after the ratification of this Act in a plebiscite. They shall continue to hold office until their successors shall have been elected and qualified in the next regular election: Provided, That the incumbent elective members of the Sangguniang Bayan of the Municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, who are actual residents of the new municipality shall serve the remaining terms of their elective offices in the mother municipality.

SEC. 7. Financial Assistance Pending Entitlement to Internal Revenue Allotment. -- The Bangsamoro Government shall appropriate and provide financial assistance for the administration and operation of the Municipal Government of Datu Sinsuat Balabaran in the amount of not less than Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PHP 2,500,000.00) every month until such time the new municipality shall have been allocated its share in the internal revenue allotment.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. -- If, for any cause, any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional or contrary to the provisions of Republic Act No. 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao", the rest of the provisions hereof which are not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders or regulations or any part thereof which may be contrary or inconsistent to this Act, except those that declare any part of this Act unconstitutional or contrary to the provisions of the Republic Act No. 11054, are hereby repealed, amended,modified, or altered accordingly

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the Bangsamoro Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of regional circulation. SEC. 10. Effectivity. -- This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in

ATTY. PAAGALIAN M. BALDNONG Speaker

07, 1445December 20, 2023. This Act was passed by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament on Jumada Al-Akhirah

PROF.RARA YR AN&KAI

Sedrdar Generd

Approved:

AHOD B.EBRAHIM Date: Dec. 26 2023 Chief Minister

XXX

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