COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) approved eleven (11) resolutions during its third regular meeting held via zoom video teleconference on Thursday, September 2 at the office of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), this city.
BEDC, otherwise known as the ‘Council’, serves as the socioeconomic planning, monitoring and coordination agency for all development plans, programs, and projects of the Bangsamoro Government, is being chaired by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim and vice-chaired by BPDA Director General Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, who is also the head of the Council’s technical secretariat.
“The regular meeting is the manifestation that we would like to involve everybody in planning for the economic development of the region. That is why we are inviting all concerned offices and local government officials, including the private sector,” Ebrahim said.
During the meeting, the Council approved the accreditation of the additional thirteen (13) private sector organizations (PSOs) based on the guidelines and procedures in the selection of PSOs, as reflected in BEDC Resolution No. 4.
“We (BPDA) conducted some background check to the interested PSOs. In Cotabato City, we have 7. In Maguindanao, we have 7. In Lanao del Sur, we have 3. Out of 17, there were 4 from Cotabato City, 7 from Maguindanao, and 2 from Lanao del Sur who passed the screening,” Engr. Ali stressed.
Among the second batch of accredited PSOs include Muslim Youth Brotherhood Inc. (MYB), Bangsamoro Urban Poor Livelihood Development Center Inc., Noorus Salaam National Women, Mindanao Women Advocacy for Good Governance (MWAGG), Kabalikat Radiocom Philippines, Al-Muwatineen Marketing Cooperative, Annour Community Development Association Inc., Family Action Towards Peace and Economics Inc., Kabuntalan Land Owners Development Association Inc., Tabang Linek Agriculture Cooperative, Hugpong ng Maranao, Ranao Watch for Empowered Network Inc. (RAWATEN), and Ecosystem Work for Essential benefits Inc. (ECOWEB).
Furthermore, the resolution creating the Bangsamoro Development Tracker (BDT) was approved by the Council as the official ‘interactive dashboard’ of the 1st Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) 2020-2022. The BDT was formulated by the BPDA with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Thinking Machines.
To improve the delivery of infrastructure services in the Bangsamoro region, the Council has also approved the resolution on the technical cooperation between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of Public Works (MPW-BARMM) to provide capacity development for BARMM’s infrastructure project management.
“Our vision is to further institutional development and investing in human capital to hone skills and create highly competent young professionals,” said Engr. Danilo A. Ong, Director General of MPW-BARMM.
𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍, 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒔
Considering the vital roles of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA-BARMM) in the development of the coconut and palm oil industry in the BARMM, the resolution for the inclusion of PCA-BARMM as additional member of the Economic Development Committee (EDCom), a sectoral committee chaired by Mohammad S. Yacob, Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR-BARMM), was approved by the Council.
Moreover, Peace, Public Order, Safety, and Security Committee (PPOSSCom), a sectoral committee of the Council, recognized the importance of women, youth, and indigenous sectors in the attainment of peace and security in the BARMM. The Council approved the resolution for the inclusion of the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC), Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), and Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MIPA) to the members of the PPOSSCom chaired by Hussien P. Muñoz, Minister of the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS).
Recognizing the significant role of the Ministry of Finance and Budget and Management (MFBM) in providing financial information of the approved programs and projects of the Bangsamoro Government, the inclusion of the said ministry as additional member to the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (RPMECom), a special committee chaired by BARMM Senior Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua, was approved by the Council.
𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒃-𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒔
The Council approved for the creation of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) as a sub-committee of the Special Development Committee (SDCom), a sectoral committee chaired by Atty. Raissa A. Jajurie of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), to spearhead the formulation of the three-year Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) and regional food and nutrition policies and strategies, as well as to coordinate and monitor the implementation of agency’s nutrition program in support to the RPAN.
“We are campaigning hard with the help of our Regional Nutrition Committee through the MILG to really comply with the directive coming from the national government that is being passed to us as a regional government,” said Dr. Jojo Sinolinding, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator of National Nutrition Council (NNC-BARMM).
To promote and develop competitiveness across the BARMM, the Council also approved the resolution for the creation of the Bangsamoro Competitiveness Committee (BCC) as a sub-committee under the EDCom of the BEDC to be chaired by the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (MTIT).
Furthermore, the resolution requesting the BEDC to approve the creation of a sub-committee on Regional Solid Waste Management under the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUCom) was approved by the Council. This will provide support in the implementation of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
The Council also approved for the creation of the Bangsamoro Sub-Committee on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (BSCW) under the Development Administration Committee (DACom) chaired by Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, Minister of the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG).
Accordingly, BSCW shall serve as the coordinating and monitoring body that will oversee the implementation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) projects in the Bangsamoro region.
Meanwhile, the resolution creating the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sub-committee under the Infrastructure and Development Committee (IDCom) was further approved by the Council to undertake the formulation and prioritization of development plans and investment programs for the ICT infrastructure development sector. (BPDA-BARMM)