New Basilan government complex ready for turnover to BARMM

BASILAN, Philippines — Basilan has a new government complex in Lamitan City where the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao can establish a provincial center.

The complex is now 90 percent complete and can accommodate the provincial offices of different BARMM agencies.

The BARMM shall replace the now 29-year ARMM after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law through a plebiscite on January 21.

Engineer Soler Undug of the Basilan District Engineering Office said Saturday the P120-million main building of the complex in Barangay Santa Clara in Lamitan City is ready for inauguration.

A new Basilan DEO building is just behind the government complex. The regional and provincial governments are also constructing a P60-million auditorium in the same area.

"Lamitan City is proud to host the Basilan provincial operations center of the incoming BARMM entity," Lamitan City Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay said on Saturday.

The ARMM administration will also be turning over to the BARMM the more than P1-billion Basilan transcentral road project, portions of which now straddles through former enclaves of the Abu Sayyaf in the Sampinit Complex in the hinterlands of the island province.

The highway will interconnect Barangay Tumahubong in Sumisip, Barangay Mahayahay in Maluso and Barangay Santa Clara, which is located in the middle of the cities of Lamitan and Isabela, the former capital of Basilan.

The construction of the transcentral road involves the Hataman administration, the office of Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman, the Regional Police Office-ARMM and the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forcea,
 
Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, commander of WestMinCom, said he is certain Basilan will become even more peaceful under BARMM. 

“There are existing infrastructures built by the present ARMM administration on strategic areas in the province in recent years. There is enough for BARMM to start with,” he said.