PATIKUL, SULU — In line with the region-wide consultation for the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2023-2028, the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) through Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority, in partnership with the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), successfully spearheaded a one-day consultation-workshop with the provincial and municipal local government units of Sulu held Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the Sulu Provincial Capitol in this town.
This activity aimed to gather information and solicit recommendations from the provincial and municipal local government officials and representatives as their inputs will be integrated to the said development plan of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Governor Abdusakur M. Tan led the delegates from Sulu provincial government along with the local government officials from its nineteen (19) constituent towns including Jolo, Patikul, Panamao, Jolo, Luuk, Lugus, Pandami, Hji. Panglima Tahil, Pata, Tapul, Panglima Estino, Kalinggalan Caluang, Indanan, Parang, Omar, Siasi, Tongkil, Pangutaran, Maimbung, and Talipao.
โKami ay nagpapasalamat at nagkokonsulta kung ano ang pangangailangan ng ating mga taumbayan dito sa ating lalawigan. Kasi, syempre, ang ground ang nakakaalam kung ano ang kailangan nila at ano ang makabubuti sa kanila,โ Gov. Tan said as he expressed his gratitude to the autonomous regional government for consulting the people in Sulu.
He also underscored the improved peace and order and tourism in Sulu saying โWalang problema ngayon sa peace and order. In fact, ngayon ang mga tao, panay ang libot nila, punta sa beaches. There so many resorts, even including mountain resorts. Ang beaches, ito ang gusto naming madevelop,โ he said while emphasizing to consider tourism development through support infrastructures in the formulation of the 2nd BDP.
In his message, BPDA Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, who is also the head of the technical secretariat, said that during sectoral workshops, the participants will be assisted by the technical secretariats of the Development Administration Committee (DACom) chaired by the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG), Economic Development Committee (EDCom) chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Social Development Committee (SDCom) chaired by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Infrastructure Development Committee (IDCOm) chaired by the Ministry of Public Works (MPW), and Peace, Public Order, Safety and Security Committee (PPOSSCom) chaired by the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) to facilitate the collection and integration of workshop outputs that will serve as sectoral inputs for the said plan.
Among the priorities cited by the provincial government during the said consultation include strengthening of tourism through supporting the development of beaches and resorts; establishment of new airport; expansion of the existing seaport; construction of a boulevard from Indanan to Patikul; mechanize to modernize agriculture and fishery; improvement on food security; protection of Sulu Sea; more health facilities and services in the barangays; improvement and rehabilitation of water systems; sustaining peace and order; support the construction or improvement of public facilities such as municipal halls, libraries, and sports complexes; more educational facilities; and improvement of the coordination between government agencies and LGUs in project identification, design, and implementation.
Meanwhile, the consultation with LGU officials of the Sulu province and its 19 towns was the eighth-leg of the region-wide consultation conducted by the BPDA. (Mary Lovella Lao-Lastimosa, BPDA-BARMM)
