𝐁𝐏𝐃𝐀, 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐃𝐀 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐰𝐢-𝐓𝐚𝐰𝐢

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) led by Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali successfully facilitated a coordinating meeting held Thursday, September 08 with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and participated by the Ministries of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) and Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) to ensure that the augmentation of necessary efforts and initiatives for MinDA’s project on Renewable Energy Technology to Increase the Value-added of Seaweeds (RETS) in Tawi-Tawi is well-coordinated with the concerned ministries and donor partners of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The delegation from MinDA was headed by Carlos Cerezo, Chief Area Management Officer in Western Mindanao, together with Engr. James Doldolia, MinDA Program Coordinator for Mindanao Power Development Program, Cecille Laplana, and Jean Paul Tolentino.

“Project RETS is now 88% completed and expected to be operational in November this year,” said Engr. Doldolia upon disclosing that RETS is funded by the European Union.

Furthermore, said project aims to support the national government’s top climate agenda on the increase use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, geothermal power, solar, and wind. Also, RETS is expected to increase the adaptive capacity of water access infrastructure and services and strengthening livelihoods and sources of income of the vulnerable seaweeds producing communities in Tawi-Tawi.

RETS components are deployment of a resilient water supply systems integrated with upgraded renewable energy infrastructure, deployment of a resilient water supply systems integrated with upgraded renewable energy infrastructure, and awareness and capacity building at local level in Tawi-Tawi.

Moreover, Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus is another ongoing Official Development Assistance (ODA) project between MinDA, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who shall develop a proposal to fund WEF from the adaptation fund. This project aims to address and adapt climate impacts in Tawi-Tawi.

MinDA also proposed a BASULTA Seaweeds Forum which aims to establish and strengthen the cooperation of various stakeholders of the seaweeds industry in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi through the revival of the BASULTA Seaweeds Council.

Also present during the meeting were MENRE Director Nasiri B. Abas and MAFAR Director General Pendatun Patarasa. (Mary Lovella Lao-Lastimosa with reports from Infrastructure Planning Division, BPDA-BARMM)