DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 July) — Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has retained six of 15 heads of ministries in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as of Saturday, five days after the deadline for submission of their “unqualified courtesy resignations.”
Retained were lawyer Raissa Jajurie, Minister of Social Services and Development (MSSD); Akmad Brahim, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE); lawyer Ubaida Pacasem, Minister of Finance, and Budget and Management (MFBM); Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, Jr., Minister of Health (MOH); Muslimin Sema, Minister of Labor and Employment (MOLE); and Jehan Usop, Deputy Minister and Acting Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).
Macacua issued Memorandum Circular 0074 on June 23, directing ministers, deputy ministers, and heads of offices to submit courtesy resignations by June 30 due to serious complaints and the need to improve efficiency ahead of BARMM’s transition period end.
Mohammad Asnin Pendatun, BARMM spokesperson, stated the reorganization followed criteria assessing competence, experience, fitness, and adherence to Moral Governance. Deliberations continue for remaining ministries, with officials asked to perform limited functions pending final decisions.
The nine other BARMM ministries include Basic, Higher and Tertiary Education; Public Works; Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform; Interior and Local Government; Indigenous People’s Affairs; Human Settlements and Development; Public Order and Safety; Transportation and Communication; and Trade, Industry and Tourism.
BARMM was established in 2019 under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). Its transition period, originally ending in 2022, saw parliamentary elections postponed to October 13, 2025. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)
