The National Government and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to a peaceful, orderly, and people-centered transition for the Province of Sulu, as the Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Sulu Transition convened on Wednesday, 04 February 2026, to finalize key administrative and funding arrangements.

 

The meeting was held pursuant to Executive Order No. 91, s. 2025, which declared Sulu as part of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Discussions focused on bridging governance and funding arrangements to ensure that public services— particularly education and social protection— remain stable, predictable, and uninterrupted throughout the transition.

 

The session, held at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), was co-presided by DBM Secretary Rolando U. Toledo and BARMM Deputy Minister of the Interior and Local Government Eddie Alih, with Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan representing the Provincial Government of Sulu.

 

 

A major outcome of the meeting was the firm agreement to safeguard the education sector in Sulu during the transition period.

 

BARMM committed to shoulder the salaries of basic education personnel in Sulu for FY 2026, with administrative supervision to be jointly exercised with the Department of Education (DepEd). Meanwhile, the National Government, through DepEd, will provide the necessary Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to ensure the continuous operation of schools.

 

The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE)-BARMM, together with DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), will issue a joint memorandum clarifying the shared supervision of schools in Sulu, as appropriate.

 

Salary, wage, and benefits requirements shall be submitted by the Schools Division Office of Sulu, LAPAK, and Hadji Butu School of Arts and Trades to MBHTE-BARMM. Affected personnel shall continue reporting to BARMM until the transition is fully completed.

 

 

To prevent any disruption in essential social services, the TWG agreed that personnel of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) in Sulu shall remain under the supervision of MSSD-BARMM until the creation of positions and the exercise by concerned personnel of the options available to them under the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC).

 

 

To ensure that the rights and welfare of affected employees are fully protected, the Civil Service Commission will provide technical inputs to the draft JMC being prepared by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, DBM, the Bangsamoro Attorney General’s Office, and the Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management.

 

 

Participants from various National Government agencies and BARMM ministries actively contributed to the discussions, underscoring a strong “whole-of-government” approach anchored on coordination, clarity, and compassion.

 

DBM Secretary Rolly Toledo underscored that the transition of Sulu is guided not by administrative convenience, but by the lived realities of the people it affects—teachers, learners, public servants, and families whose daily lives depend on the uninterrupted delivery of government services.

 

“This transition is not about lines on a map or changes on paper— it is about people. Our shared responsibility is to make sure that no teacher misses a salary, no learner is left behind, and no family feels uncertain about the services they rely on. We are committed to a transition that is calm, orderly, and humane—one that protects livelihoods, sustains peace, and assures the people of Sulu that government remains present, responsive, and united in serving them,” Sec. Toledo said.

 

Echoing this commitment, BARMM Deputy Minister of the Interior and Local Government Eddie Alih emphasized that the transition is being carried out with utmost care to protect both services and the people who deliver them.

 

 “For BARMM, this transition is guided by our duty to protect stability on the ground and to make sure that public servants, learners, and communities in Sulu continue to feel supported every step of the way. We are working closely with the National Government to ensure that systems remain functional, responsibilities are clear, and services continue without disruption. What matters most is that the people of Sulu experience this transition as steady, inclusive, and responsive to their needs,” Deputy Minister Alih said.

 

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