BARMM okays five-year devt plan, creates intl development committee for financial aid

DAVAO CITY—THE Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) approved last week the five-year Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) and established the Bangsamoro International Development Assistance Committee (BIDAC) aimed at generating wider global financial assistance to the nascent region.

The BDP would span the period 2023-2028.

Engr. Mohajirin Ali, directorgeneral of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) and the vice chairman of the BEDC, presented the salient features of the drafted second BDP 2023-2028 to the officials and members of the BEDC, while emphasizing the remarkable changes in the region’s overall context.

“BARMM has the fastest economy and BARMM [and] was able to achieve five out of six macroeconomic targets set in the 1st BDP 2020-2022,” Ali shared.

Ahod Ebrahim, chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and also the chairman of the BEDC, said the council spearheaded the formulation of the second BDP through its five sectoral committees along with the assistance of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) being the council’s technical secretariat.

“I would like to congratulate the BEDC sectoral committees and the BPDA for leading the formulation of second BDP that will serve as our guide in the development of our region,” Ebrahim said.

“The BARMM government is taking the step in developing a mechanism that would consolidate the efforts and initiatives of development partners that supports the government in facilitating the efficient and effective delivery of services to Bangsamoro communities,” he said.

The BEDC would be referred to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim Parliament of the Bangsamoro government, for deliberation “since it will be the basis for the preparation of next year’s budget proposal of the ministries, offices and agencies,” the Bangsamoro Information Office said.

Meanwhile, the creation of the BIDAC was also ratified by the BEDC, which would serve as coordination mechanism involving the Bangsamoro government and international development partners.

The BEDC meeting inducted Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali “Bruce” Matabalao and Bangsamoro Attorney General Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-alba as new members of the BEDC. Both were sworn to fulfill their duties as members of the council and committed themselves to democratic means in pursuit of the ideals and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.

The BEDC also approved the resolution allowing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Cotabato Branch to attend council meetings with observer status.

The BEDC was likewise directed “to strengthen the surveillance of the economic financial affairs of the BARMM through its representation in the council.”