Hemodialysis is a life-saving treatment that filters waste, toxins, and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer function properly due to severe disease or failure. Image Source: ClevelandClinic

Located at the Sulu Provincial Hospital in Jolo, the facility with five dialysis machines was launched as part of a turnover of ₱33 million worth of medical aid and equipment from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Previously, patients with kidney conditions were forced to travel off-island for dialysis treatment. The support package also includes funding for oxygen-generating plants, and ₱10 million has also been allocated by the BARMM for Maimbung District Hospital—a facility first launched by the BARMM in 2023 to service the remote south of Sulu.

The medical investment comes at a complex political juncture. In July, President Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 91, formally transferring Sulu from the BARMM to Region IX, the Zamboanga Peninsula. The directive aimed to correct what the Supreme Court ruled was a misstep in 2019, when Sulu was incorporated into BARMM despite a majority “no” vote in the plebiscite.

The medical development comes at a complex political juncture after President Marcos Jr. transferred Sulu from the BARMM to Region IX.

Nonetheless, the BARMM government continues to implement existing development programs despite Sulu’s departure, including healthcare infrastructure projects initiated before the ruling.

During the handover ceremony, BARMM’s Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring continuity of essential services in Sulu until the reallocation of administrative responsibilities is complete.

“We will continue delivering services to you,” said BARMM Health Minister Dr. Kadil M. Sinolinding Jr., addressing attendees that included Sulu Governor Abdusakur A. Tan II, Members of Parliament Atty. Nabil A. Tan and Jose Lorena, as well as officials from Sulu’s Integrated Provincial Health Office and the provincial hospital. His remarks echoed the broader tone of BARMM leadership, which has consistently expressed a willingness to remain engaged with Sulu despite the executive order. “Our doors will never close to Sulu,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim stated during a previous address.

“Our doors will never close to Sulu,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim stated.

While medical investment remains visible, other sectors are preparing for the broader transition away from BARMM administration. The Bangsamoro Airport Authority (BAA) recently convened a Stakeholders Consultation and Airport Security Committee meeting in anticipation of the eventual handover of Sulu’s airports to Region IX. Among the priorities discussed were infrastructure governance, airport security, and improving air connectivity between Sulu and the rest of the country.

Currently, Sulu’s air transport sector is serviced only by Bangsamoro Airways and Leading Edge. Talks at the meeting included possible strategies to reinstate Philippine Airlines' presence in Jolo, which could improve travel reliability and regional integration.

Talks at the meeting included possible strategies to reinstate Philippine Airlines' presence in Jolo, which could improve travel reliability and regional integration.

At the heart of the transition away from the BARMM lies a larger concern: how to ensure sustained investment in a province historically marginalized in national policy frameworks.

Though many Tausugs viewed BARMM as overly Mindanao-centric, the autonomous region’s unique funding agreement with Manila enabled a flow of development funds that exceeded typical regional allocations. Now, as Sulu prepares to integrate fully into Region IX, it will receive funding through the standard mechanisms applied across the Philippine bureaucracy.

As Sulu prepares to integrate fully into Region IX, it will receive funding through the standard mechanisms applied across the Philippine bureaucracy.

The establishment of the dialysis unit is emblematic of both the progress made under BARMM and the challenges that lie ahead. As administrative responsibility shifts, questions remain over whether the same level of attention and investment will follow Sulu into its new political alignment.

REFERENCES

Bacelonia, W. (2024, September 11). SC: Sulu not part of BARMM due to 2019 plebiscite result. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/

Bangsamoro Information Office. (2025, August 18). Sulu opens first hemodialysis unit; gets P33 M medical aid, 5 dialysis machines from BARMM. Bangsamoro Information Office. https://bangsamoro.gov.ph/

Bangsamoro Information Office. (2025, August 19). BARMM airport authority pushes stronger air connectivity, security in Sulu amid regional shift. Bangsamoro Information Office. https://bangsamoro.gov.ph/

Inquirer.net. (2025, August 1). Sulu province now under Zamboanga region. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

MindaNews. (2025, August 2). BARMM to Sulu: ‘Our doors will never close’. MindaNews. https://mindanews.com/

Nazario, D. (2024, September 16). Tolentino raises concern over Sulu’s fiscal problem after exclusion from BARMM. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/

Philippine News Agency. (2024, November 27). SC: Sulu exit from BARMM final, executory. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/

The Mindanao Sentinel. (2024, September). Sulu leaders meet with House of Representatives to address implications of Sulu’s exclusion from BARMM. The Mindanao Sentinel. https://themindanaosentinel.com/