Monday, December 16, 2013

MILF: BDA-Dev’t Partners Meeting firms up commitment for Bangsamoro Development Plan formulation

From the MILF Website (Dec 16): BDA-Dev’t Partners Meeting firms up commitment for Bangsamoro Development Plan formulation



The roundtable discussion of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) with Development Partners firms up the commitment for Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) formulation.
  
The gathering held at the World Bank Conference Room in Manila on December 11, 2013 was a follow through activity of the Donors’ Forum conducted last September 3 which further enjoined other stakeholders to support the initiative that lays down the blue print for the comprehensive development of the Bangsamoro communities in the country.

Development institutions present in the event who earlier committed to support the plan formulation were: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Asian Development Bank, The Asia Foundation, Australian Embassy and the World Bank.

BDA and Mindanao Land Foundation (Minland) recently signed a program partnership agreement for the operational support of the BDP through the Mindanao Trust Fund of the World Bank.

Likewise, JICA has already submitted initial results of the needs assessment conducted in the Bangsamoro for the past three months following the launching of the BDP.

United Nations agencies in the country namely the United Nations Development Programme, UN Women, and IOM had already expressed their willingness to support the BDP.

Present in the meeting from the BDA were: Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan; Dr. Mohammad Yacob, Executive Director; Dr. Ayesha Abubakar, Senior Advisor; Engr. Windel Diangcalan, Head of Program Management Division; Mr. Hamodi Tiboron; Mr. Beñamine Ubpon (BDP Core Planning and Support Team); and Engr. Nasser Sinarimbo, BDA Management Consultant. 

In the discussion, the BDA presented the strategic direction, scope, and phases of implementation of the BDP for the partners to identify areas of collaboration and possible complementation.

The BDP Core Planning Team further provided outline of the integrative report of the BDP which also informed the development partners of the challenges that may occur in the plan formulation.

The BDP formulation timeline includes conduct with BDP experts and consultants on the second week of January 2014 and the Transitional Development Plan (Phase 1) shill be ready this coming July.

The BDA Central Management Office had already tapped its Regional Management Offices to help in the data gathering from various government agencies in the regions in Mindanao.

It has also started the procurement of staff dedicated for the BDP Project. The Mindanao Trust Fund Reconstruction and Development Program (MTFRDP) support the operational fund of the BDP project.

In his opening remarks, Dipatuan said, “This is a very good point in time when the very contentious Power Sharing annex of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) was just signed between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.”

 “We have to be very thankful for patience and perseverance of our panels, the GPH and MILF, for making a very good, workable and implementable agreement,“ he added.
“This now give us hope that in due time they will be able to sign the comprehensive peace agreement,” the BDA Chairman said.

Representing the government in the gathering was Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo.

He said the government has the commitment to have lasting peace in the Bangsamoro and assured that the OPAPP is very much supportive of the BDP formulation including the generation of support from various government line agencies.  

Dipatuan also appealed to the partners to consider Bangsamoro consultants and experts who are more familiar with the Bangsamoro context and situation.

The BDA’s role in the BDP formulation is in accordance with the signed Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed on October 15, 2012 which states that creation of Transition Commission (TC) will coordinate “development programs in the Bangsamoro communities in conjunction with the MILF Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), the Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI) and other agencies” (Section VII, 4c of the FAB).

It was further reinforced after the signing of the FAB Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing on July 13, 2013 which stated that the Bangsamoro shall formulate its development plans, consistent with the national development goals but recognizing their unique needs and aspirations. The plan shall also consider the revenue generation needed for the post-conflict rehabilitation, reconstruction and development in the region.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/722-bda-dev’t-partners-meeting-firms-up-commitment-for-bangsamoro-development-plan-formulation

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