Basilan representative Jay Datumanong Salliman took his oath on November 6, 2026, as the new health minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, stepping into a role previously held by a physician-ophthalmologist amid local scrutiny over a lawyer leading the regional health portfolio, philstar.com reported.
Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua officiated the symbolic oath-taking rite in Cotabato City, naming Salliman to head the Ministry of Health following the conclusion of the tenure of eye surgeon Kadil Sinolindin Jr. on October 30.
Clearing the Air on a Legal Mind in Medicine
The appointment of a lawyer to helm the health ministry drew questions from some political cynics and candidates who lost their bids in the September 14 regional elections.
Sinolindin defended his successor’s credentials, explaining to reporters that the work of a regional minister is strictly administrative. “The work of a minister of any ministry in BARMM is ministerial,” Sinolindin said, adding that experts remain on staff to handle the actual implementation of health programs under leadership guidance.
Other prominent medical figures echoed this sentiment. Dr. Ibrahim Pangato, chief of the Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, stated that his staff holds no reservations regarding Salliman’s appointment.
Broad Local Support and Cabinet Priorities
Datu Oping Ampatuan, vice mayor of Shariff Aguak, announced plans to sponsor a municipal council resolution supporting Salliman. Meanwhile, Maguindanao del Norte Vice Gov. Marshall Sinsuat and Mayor Raida Tomawis-Sinsuat of Datu Blah Sinsuat pledged continued administrative and manpower support for health activities in their coastal municipality.
The transition in the health ministry occurred alongside broader structural shifts within the regional government. Chief Minister Macacua announced the full composition of his regional cabinet following a rigorous screening process designed to evaluate candidates on competence, integrity, and professional experience, GMA Network reported. The newly appointed ministry heads include:
- Ministry of Public Works – Engr. Basir M. Ibrahim
- Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education – MP Atty. Naguib G. Sinarimbo
- Ministry of Social Services and Development – Atty. Alirakim Munder
- Ministry of Health – MP Atty. Jimael Salam D. Salliman
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform – MP Atty. Ishak V. Mastura
- Ministry of the Interior and Local Government – Jordan S. Bayam
- Ministry of Public Order and Safety – Datu Jomar U. Midtimbang
- Ministry of Labor and Employment – MP Atty. Kitem D. Kadatuan Jr.
- Ministry of Trade and Investment, and Tourism – Atty. Faizal M. Padate
- Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs – MP Jo Genna Jover
- Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management – Atty. Ubaida C. Pacasem
- Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Energy – MP Akmad Brahim
- Ministry of Science and Technology – MP Hanie Bud
- Ministry of Human Settlements and Development – MP Engr. Rashdi T. Adiong
- Ministry of Transportation and Communications – Termizie G. Masahud
- Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority – Atty. Laiza M. Alamia
Cusain as Cabinet Secretary, MP Abunawas L. Maslamama as Senior Minister, and Atty. Duque Kadatuan as Bangsamoro Attorney General.
During the inaugural Cabinet meeting on Friday, November 6, officials prioritized the preparation of the 2027 Bangsamoro Expenditure Program and refinements to the proposed Bangsamoro Revenue Code, which had remained pending before the interim parliament since April 2025, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Budget minister Ubaida Pacasem noted that the upcoming expenditure program will translate development priorities into concrete public services, while the revenue code is slated for refiling under the charter established by the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
