𝐁𝐏𝐃𝐀 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐌 𝐝𝐞𝐯’𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

COTABATO CITY — Following the writeshop for the formulation of the 1st BARMM Development Policy Research Agenda (BDPRA), the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) hosted a dialogue with some development partners and academic institutions last September 7, 2022 in Davao City to ensure that the first BDPRA builds on existing research efforts by public and private sector institutions.

The purpose of this dialogue was to gain a better understanding of the development partners’ and academic institutions’ research initiatives with BARMM institutions and/or within the region.

As part of the dialogue, an initial scoping of previous, ongoing, and pipeline policy research initiatives of development partners and academic institutions in the region was conducted. This activity was participated by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), International Organization for Migration (UN IOM), OXFAM International, Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e. V. (forumZFD), Humanity & Inclusion, Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), Mindanao State University – General Santos City (MSU-Gensan), and Notre Dame University (NDU).

In his message, BPDA Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali emphasized the importance of dialogue where it gathered stakeholders who have done extensive research on the Bangsamoro and in strengthening the collaboration among government agencies, development partners, academe, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.

“Indeed, what we are hoping to see in BARMM is a genuine co-creation process where citizens participate meaningfully in the policy and decision-making process, relevant stakeholders and experts provide a range of evidence and potential solutions, and decision-makers in the government decisions based on research-informed policy recommendations,” DG Ali said.

Meanwhile, the formulation of BDPRA is in partnership with The Asia Foundation under its CARE for Peace Project funded by the Australian Partnerships for Peace of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines with Rufa Cagoco-Guiam and Ica Fernandez as technical advisers. (Mary Lovella Lao-Lastimosa with reports from Janaima Ebrahim, BPDA-BARMM)