DAVAO CITY โ The Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) successfully spearheaded today, November 16, the conduct of the โ1st BARMM Private Sector Organization Summitโ led by Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, MNSA, gathering the private sector organizations (PSOs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at Dusit Thani Hotel in this city.
Among the participants in this yearโs summit include 56 from civil society organization (CSO), 4 from academe, 2 from business sector, 6 from the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA), and 48 from BARMM ministries, offices, and agencies.
In collaboration with the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) through the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA), the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.), and the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), the summit aimed to harness the collective expertise, insights, and resources of the private sector to drive economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development within the region, with the theme โUnlocking Private Sector Opportunities in BARMM: Building a Thriving Partnership towards Progressive Bangsamoro.โ
Via video message, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim recognized the contributions of the PSOs as instrumental in propelling the region towards a brighter future, saying โYour (PSO) meaningful participation to our development efforts has left an indelible mark on the region’s achievements today. I am confident that together, we can achieve even greater things in the near futureโ.
The chief minister also urged the participating PSOs to seize the opportunity to align their goals and efforts and to work together to build a Bangsamoro region that is united, enlightened, self-governing, peaceful, just, and prosperous.
In reciprocation, BDA Inc. Executive Director Rhadzni M. Taalim expressed the commitment of the civil society organizations to being steadfast partners in the Bangsamoro governmentโs pursuit of progress, citing that CSOs bring unique perspective to the development discourse rooted in community engagement and a deep understanding of local needs.
โThrough their grassroots presence, CSOs can bridge the gap, ensuring that government policies are not only implemented effectively, but also responsive to the evolving needs of the populace,โ Dir. Taalim stressed.
Furthermore, the summit also aimed to strengthen collaboration between the private sector and the Bangsamoro government, promote milestones and investments, highlight the role of innovation and entrepreneurship, explore initiatives for skills development and capacity building, and establish a profile or data information of the PSOs in the BARMM to ensure the alignment of initiatives and interventions to BARMM socioeconomic agenda.
To highlight the significant milestones achieved by the Bangsamoro government, Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, MNSA presented a comprehensive report on the strides made by the autonomous regional government since its establishment in 2019, updates on the 2nd Bangsamoro Development Plan 2023-2028, and key accomplishments and milestones in the sectors of development administration, economic, social, infrastructure, and the peace, public order, safety and security.
In his presentation, DG Ali highlighted the formulation of a comprehensive roadmap and the 12-Point Priority Agenda which was further enhanced in May 2022, emphasizing that the enhanced agenda is aligned with the Bangsamoro Development Plan and spans economic interventions, resilience, education, peace, justice, security, and the preservation of Bangsamoro cultural heritage and identity.
He further underscored the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliamentโs enactment of 5 out of 7 priority codes, which include the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, Civil Service Code, Education Code, Electoral Code, and the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code. The enactment of these priority codes is anchored to Agenda No. 1 (A Stronger BARMM Bureaucracy) of the Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda of the BARMM.
โWe believe that the passage of priority codes, particularly the Revenue Code, will put in place a set of rules, procedures, and incentives โ creating a healthy, stable, and predictable,โ DG Ali emphasized.
The director general also shared that the regionโs economy remains resilient despite the pandemic and the challenges during the transition period, emphasizing that it is characterized by a predominant focus on services, followed by agriculture, forestry, fishing, and industries, saying โThis diversified economic landscape underscores the resilience and adaptability of the region, marking a positive trajectory for sustainable growthโ.
Based on the report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the regionโs economy has rebounded impressively by 7.5% from 2020-2021, while it slightly dipped to 6.6% from 2021-2022. Furthermore, in 2021, the poverty incidence in the region decreased to 29.9%, a significant drop from 52.6% in 2018.
In terms of infrastructure development, DG Ali reported that the Bangsamoro government has paved close to 2,000 kilometers of roads since 2020, fostering vital connections between production areas and business centers.
โFrom 4,162 kilometers of paved roads during the ARMM, the Bangsamoro region now has a total of close to 6,000 kilometers of paved roads,โ the director general stated.
Meanwhile, BARMM Senior Minister Abunawas L. Maslamama cited the collaboration of the autonomous regional government with international partners further fortify endeavors, demonstrating the global recognition of the progress in the Bangsamoro region.
โAs we convene in this summit, let us collectively embark on a journey to unlock the private sector opportunities that lie within BARMM, building a thriving partnership that will contribute to the progressive Bangsamoro we all aspire to see,โ the senior minister stressed.
For his part, Atty. Gilbert V. Sembrano, a key expert of the SUBATRA Justice and Society Project, shared that the SUBATRA did not hesitate when the idea of conducting a summit was originally broached. He explained that SUBATRA recognizes the important role that the private sector plays towards a peaceful and successful transition.
Moreover, various products of peopleโs organizations from different communities in the BARMM were exhibited during the 1st BARMM PSO Summit. Banana products including chips and pinasugpo, palapa, and coconut products such as cooking oil, bubuk, and jam are some of the products displayed and sold by the peopleโs organizations during the event.
The summit, which shall be done annually, serves as a platform to foster collaboration, dialogue, and partnership between the private sector and the Bangsamoro government, aspiring to create a dynamic economic ecosystem that contributes to the prosperity and development of the BARMM. (๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ฟ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐-๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ / ๐ต๐๐ท๐ด-๐ต๐ด๐ ๐๐)