Drilon doubts BBL without anti-dynasty provision can solve Moro poverty

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Map by ICTO-ARMM)

With the measure on anti-political dynasty scrapped, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon doubts the consolidated version of the bill establishing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) would relieve the poverty of Moros in Mindanao.

Drilon said the measure was supposed to alleviate the long-time poverty in the region, but was later deleted by the bicameral conference committee in its consolidated version of the BBL.

READ: Bicam committee deletes proposed BBL’s anti-political dynasty provision

“I have my doubts whether poverty among the people would be answered or resolved because the anti-dynasty measure wasn’t adopted,” he said, speaking in a mix of Filipino and English, in an interview over AM radio DWIZ on Saturday.

Citing a study of Ateneo De Manila, Drilon said that four out of the five poorest provinces in the Philippines are in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The reason?

“Based on the Ateneo study, it’s because of political dynasties,” Drilon said.

“In the Senate version, I was pushing for the anti-dynasty measure, but it wasn’t accepted by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri,” he said.

Zubiri is the Senate majority leader and co-chairs the bicameral conference committee, which was tasked with harmonizing versions of the bill by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

READ: Zubiri defends anti-political dynasty provision under Senate’s version of BBL

“I do not think there will be any improvement because of these dynasty practices,” Drilon said.

“As long as we don’t forbid dynasty, raising the economy in the ARMM would be difficult,” he said.