DAVAO CITY — The Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), spearheaded here Monday, December 19, the 2nd BARMM Planners Congress, participated by planning officers from different ministries, offices, and agencies (MOAs), along with the provincial, city, and municipal planning and development coordinators across the region.
Bearing the theme โStrengthening Regional and Local Planners Linkages and Collaboration towards Holistic Socioeconomic Development in the Bangsamoroโ, this yearโs Planners Congress aimed to strengthen the technical capabilities of the BARMM planners at the regional, provincial, city, and municipal levels on the basic principles of green economy, macroeconomics, application of different analytical tools, and interpretation of economic trends to effectively design and implement plans and programs for the Bangsamoro.
In his message, BPDA Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali underscored the critical role of regional and local planners as primary actors in charting the development direction of the BARMM. He also said that this gathering of key planners in the region is an avenue to discuss regional and local issues and concerns and strategies on how to complement and harmonize development efforts to strengthen vertical linkages, harmonization, collaboration, and partnership.
โYou (planners) have always been at the forefront of efforts in sustaining the collaboration of the various stakeholders to achieve the development goals of the BARMMโฆ a vital link between the regional government and the local governments, bridging their respective efforts both in fostering inclusive development planning processes and in ensuring well-coordinated action at the regional and grassroots levels,โ he said.
DG Ali, who is also the chairperson of the Regional Statistics Committee (RSCom) under the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC), further highlighted the significant achievement of the region as the second fastest economy in the country including its structural change in economic landscape and the historic drop in poverty incidence, as well as presented the macroeconomic targets of the BARMM for 2023-2028.
In a message conveyed by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA BARMM) OIC Regional Director Engr. Akan G. Tula, PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis S. Mapa emphasized the timely conduct of Planners Congress as the said government agency is currently compiling the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) and implementing the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), underscoring that the release of PPA for the provinces and highly urbanized cities is a breakthrough in the economic account statistics in the country.
โNext year, the PPA for the five provinces of BARMM will be released. This will serve as basis for your policy makers and planners to craft targeted programs and projects that will address pressing regional and provincial priorities,โ he stressed.
Among the topics discussed were the regional accounts and welfare indicators presented by BPDA Consultant Ever J. Abasolo; Anticipatory Action and Social Protection discussed by Edlin Lumanog, National DRM and AA Specialist of UNFAO; and the Green Economy discussed by Elirozz Carlie Labaria, Environment and Natural Resources Sustainable Management Sub-group Leader of UNFAO.
Moreover, the participating planners were clustered into four groups according to their provinces. During the workshop, they have identified the significant factors which contribute to the accomplishments and milestones of the said provinces in the region; wicked challenges that hinder in attaining the BARMMโs macroeconomic targets; proposed recommendations to the regional government to achieve provincial macroeconomic targets; and identified programs and projects in relation to anticipatory action, social protection, and green economy.
In his keynote message, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim acknowledged the efforts and contributions of all regional and local planners, especially with their participation during the series of activities associated to the formulation of the 2nd BDP and other essential documents of the region such as the 1st Bangsamoro Ecological Profile, 1st BARMM Development Policy Research Agenda, and Bangsamoro Spatial Strategies.
โThe autonomous regional government have seen and witnessed the efforts of our planners in the region. Taking this arduous job requires perseverance, dedication, hard work, and patience, in which all of these were highly appreciated by your regional government,โ he emphasized.
โThe future of the Philippines lies with the progress of Mindanao, and the future of Mindanao lies in the development of the Bangsamoro,โ Director Joey Recimilla stressed while delivering the message of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson Maria Belen S. Acosta. Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte commended the Bangsamoro government for organizing the said event saying โWe highly value your future development plans to make sure that the region keeps progressing.โ (Mary Lovella Lao-Lastimosa, BPDA-BARMM)
