New selection process under the regular parliamentary government introduces a layer of scrutiny in appointing ministry heads and agency directors, although the chief minister retains the final say.
COTABATO CITY (November 5) — For the first time in the Bangsamoro region’s history, applicants seeking top positions in the regional government are undergoing formal screening by a committee of elected parliament members, introducing a new layer of scrutiny in appointments under the region’s regular parliamentary government.
As many as 22 applicants for ministerial and senior agency positions had undergone screening as of Wednesday, November 4, following the creation of a selection committee by Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua earlier this week.
The process marks a departure from the appointment practice under the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), where the regional governor had discretion over appointments to key government positions.
The ARMM, established in 1991, was replaced in 2019 by the more empowered Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), following the transition to a new autonomous government structure.
The screening committee is composed of elected members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament, including lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo and Local Government Minister Jordan Bayam, who chairs the panel.
Bayam and Sinarimbo separately told reporters on Wednesday that Macacua had instructed the committee to assess applicants for ministry leadership positions and directorships in government support offices based on their qualifications.
Bayam, however, clarified that the committee’s role is to screen and identify qualified candidates, not make the final appointments.
“The final decision shall come from him,” Bayam said, referring to Macacua.
The distinction places the selection process under parliamentary scrutiny while retaining the chief minister’s authority as appointing official.
Sinarimbo, a deputy floor leader in the Bangsamoro parliament, said Macacua wants ministries and government agencies led by competent officials who understand the importance of good governance in sustaining peace and advancing development across BARMM’s five provinces and three cities.
Sinarimbo previously served as BARMM local government minister from 2019 to 2024 before winning a parliamentary seat in the region’s September 14 elections.
The new screening arrangement also contrasts with the appointment practices during the interim government led by Ahod Ebrahim, who served as BARMM’s first interim chief minister from 2019 until 2025.
During his tenure, Ebrahim appointed ministers and agency heads without subjecting them to a comparable extensive screening process, according to the report.
For the Bangsamoro government, the new process presents an opportunity to demonstrate that the transition from an interim administration to a regular parliamentary government will bring stronger institutional accountability and more transparent leadership selection.
The crucial test, however, will be whether qualifications, competence and public accountability consistently guide appointments—and whether the screening process translates into better-performing ministries and services for Bangsamoro communities.
