Budget season and BARMM

I LEARNED one big tip from a seatmate on the plane. Fold one's trash, such as plastic, so that the space it occupies can contribute to less garbage.

It may be a simple tip, but I value this reminder because every individual in this consumer-driven world contributes to tons of garbage produced by the developing world.

One of the performance indicators that I can suggest this budget season to Congress on assessing the performance of agencies is their compliance with earth-friendly and solid waste management practices. Efficiency and productivity are not just measured by physical output but also by actions such as paperless transactions.

One question I want to ask one agency at its budget hearing is how is its Wi-Fi technology. So much time and effort can be saved if transactions can be processed with technological support. For example, applicant claimants to the Marawi Compensation Board who are based outside Marawi can be interviewed online rather than them spending money and time flying to Cagayan de Oro to travel to Marawi.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a major justification for limited face-to-face transactions in the years to come. And because geography is a major stumbling block in a vast region such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM (imagine the many accidents caused by traveling long distances to Cotabato to follow-up, i.e., appointments), digital transactions, i.e., meetings must already be made as part of administrative modes.

Some other thoughts in looking at, for instance, the governance of BARMM, which enjoys a large grant even higher than that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Cabinet meetings

How can the autonomous region's leadership and its executives also be felt in the provinces or grassroots with probable rotating cabinet meetings in the islands and the mainland?

The BARMM is composed of the mainland central provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao and the Basulta islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Liaison offices in these two major locations must be strong, able to outsource linkages and aid and be the ambassador for BARMM (at a time where positive imaging is needed, especially where there is not much