COTABATO CITY — The Peace, Public Order, Safety and Security Committee (PPOSSCom) of the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) highlights the region’s enhanced peace and security measures during its 4th Sectoral Meeting conducted on Wednesday, September 29 at BPDA Conference Hall and via Zoom video teleconference.
Hussein P. Munoz, PPOSSCom Chairperson and Minister of the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) together with Engr. Amil J. Abubakar, Deputy Director General of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority, spearheaded the said meeting.
“We know everybody is very busy today but we hope to be productive. We have to do our job,” said Munoz as he acknowledged the presence of the committee members.
The meeting highlights various updates pertaining to peace and security in the region, rehabilitation of BARMM’s conflict-affected areas, fast-tracked outcome under the Chapter 10 of the Bangsamoro Development Plan 2020-2022, “Upholding Peace, Security, Public Order and Safety, and Respect for Human Rights”, and agencies’ accomplishment reports.
Engr. Abubakar emphasized “the committee shall identify the status of the programs, projects, and activities that will uphold peace and security in the BARMM, as well as identifying prevalent issues that needs to be addressed by this committee.”
Furthermore, the committee adopted the resolution on the proposed reporting system of the committee members and its prescribed template in every committee meeting to effectively help the committee members in documenting its milestone accomplishments and agreements to be reported during the meeting of the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC).
Following the adoption of the said resolution, Abdul Rahman M. Macapendeg of the Marawi Rehabilitation Program-Project Management Office (MRP-PMO) discussed the BARMM-MRP project updates on financial assistance, food security, basic needs, education, health, and housing in Marawi City.
Dir. Wendell P. Orbeso, head of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB) Implementation Department and Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), reported updates on security, socioeconomic development, transitional justice and reconciliation, and confidence building measures.
Zaiton L. Abas, head of the Ministry of Interior and Local Government’s Special Geographic Area (MILG SGA) provided an update on the peace, public order, safety, and security in the 63 Barangays, particularly the resolved and ongoing conflicts and peace-related programs.
Mohammad Yassin K. Bajunaid, Development Management Officer III of the BPDA, discussed the rehabilitation and development framework of conflict-affected communities in Maguindanao. Said framework is the result of the concerted effort of the Bangsamoro government in addressing the effect of insurgencies among the Bangsamoro communities within the SPMS Box and in the towns of Upi, South Upi, and Datu Paglas.
Moreover, said committee agreed to pass a resolution requesting the BEDC to facilitate the turn-over of 63 barangays from the operational control of various national law enforcement agencies in region 12 to BARMM.
Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MIPA) Minister Timuay Melanio U. Ulama, Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) Chairperson Hadja Bainon G. Karon, and Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) Chairperson Marjanie S. Macasalong have finally took their oath as new members of the said committee administered by Minister Munoz.
The inclusion of these agencies is the result of the committee’s recognition on the importance and role of the indigenous people, women, and youth sectors in the attainment of peace and development in the region.
Meanwhile, the committee also acknowledged the proposal to add the Philippine Coast Guard-BARMM, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Fishery Law Enforcement, and Philippine Center for Transitional Crime (PCTC) to its roster of members.
Also present during the meeting were representatives from the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Police Regional Office (PRO-BAR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Armed Forced of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), MILG’s Public Safety Division (MILG PSD), and Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA). (BPDA-BARMM)