Environment agency leading revenue generator for BARMM
Climate Change/Environment • 06:45 AM Sat Jun 15, 2019
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
BARMM Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua (Photo from MENRE--BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MENRE-BARMM) has become the first BARMM agency that remitted huge amount of revenues to the regional treasury, an environment official said.
Since MENRE-BARMM Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua took over the leadership of the defunct Department of Enrivonment and Natural Resources (DENR-ARMM) on March 1 this year, the environmental agency has already remitted a total of P207,010,832 as of June 13.
These were sourced from collectibles of the MENRE from the mining fees and other fees that included certification, verification and Certificate of Non-Coverage fees, among others.
Macacua, in a statement, stressed that one of his primary goals as the leader of the new and evolving BARMM-MENRE is to foster moral governance alongside environmental protection.
“Environmental protection is a must for us working in the Ministry. That’s already given,” Macacua said.
“However, more than that, moral and good governance should also be focused on by the seated Bangsamoro leaders,” he added.
It was unprecedented for the agency to remit over P200 million worth of collections to the BARMM regional treasury.
From the past three years of the defunct ARMM, the environment agency has been the highest remitting agency in the region.
And Macacua was committed to maintain that feat, including the proper remittance of its collectibles.
“As we continue working towards a much better Bangsamoro, we must bear in mind the morality that we need to instill in our forms of governance,” Macacua said.
Macacua, a ranking official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) political arm, heads the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP).
The BARMM is an expanded autonomous set up that replaced the defunct ARMM as a result of the government peace process with the MILF.
BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim lauded MENRE-BARMM for the accomplishments even as he challenged other agencies to emulate Macacua’s office. (EOF)