President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has officially signed Executive Order No. 91 on July 31, implementing the Supreme Court’s decision to transfer the province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to the Zamboanga Peninsula Region (Region IX).
The move follows the Supreme Court’s ruling in Province of Sulu v. the Executive Secretary, et al., which declared Sulu’s inclusion in BARMM as unconstitutional. The ruling effectively reverts Sulu’s regional affiliation to Region IX.
The Marcos administration assured residents that the transition will not disrupt essential government services.
“There exists an urgent need to effectively implement and address the impacts of the Supreme Court Decision and Resolution in Province of Sulu v. the Executive Secretary, et al., including the regional affiliation of the Province of Sulu, while continuing to ensure the uninterrupted government operations and delivery of essential government projects, programs, and activities within Sulu,” President Marcos stated.
EO 91 applies to the province of Sulu, all its component local government units, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch, as well as their counterparts operating in the province.
The order also establishes a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will lead the implementation of the transition, formulate a comprehensive transition plan, and ensure coordination between the national government, Region IX authorities, and Sulu’s local government units.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other concerned agencies, will oversee the operational and fiscal adjustments necessary for the smooth transfer.
The implementation will include the reassignment of national government personnel, budget realignment for public services, and coordination with law enforcement to maintain peace and security during the transition period.