DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 09 August) — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has been working to position itself as a hub for agribusiness, renewable energy, mariculture and halal industry, among others, in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Engr. Mohajirin Ali, director general of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), stressed the need to identify key investment and innovative development programs and policies in the BARMM that aligns with BIMP-EAGA’s thrusts to further bolster its regional economic growth
“Our collective efforts should aim to position BARMM as a vibrant economic hub that stands out not just regionally but globally. By aligning our goals with BIMP-EAGA’s strategic initiatives, we can unlock new markets, increase trade opportunities, and ensure that the benefits reach every Bangsamoro community,” Ali said in a statement.
Last month, the BDPA, in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), conducted a workshop here to review the draft BARMM BIMP-EAGA Strategic Plan 2025-2028.
The Seoul, South Korea-based GGGI is an inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies.
The workshop served as a platform to align local priorities with regional cooperation goals under the BIMP-EAGA framework.
It specifically aimed to prepare a comprehensive multi-year investment program for the period 2025–2028, formulate the plan’s results matrix, and develop project concept notes for potential funding from the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), focusing on priority sectors such as climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, seaweeds, and fisheries.
Melanie Indar, BPDA’s Planning and Policies Bureau Director 1, said that developing project concept notes on climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, fisheries, and seaweed development is a step to a more targeted push for resource mobilization.
“We aim to bring tangible investments into the region—aligning our priorities with potential partners like the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), KOICA, and other development partners,” Indar stressed.
MinDA is the country’s coordinating agency for the BIMP-EAGA, a cooperation initiative established in 1994 to spur development in remote and less developed areas of the four member countries.
The subregion covers the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and West Papua of Indonesia; the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia; and the island of Mindanao and the province of Palawan in the Philippines.
Speaking during the workshop, MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso Magno pushed stakeholders to work together to position Mindanao, particularly the Bangsamoro region, as “a vital engine of inclusive growth within the BIMP-EAGA.”
“Let us help Mindanao by inviting investors to come. Let us provide them opportunities,” Magno urged participants, adding that now is the time to harness the region’s improving peace and stability for sustainable economic progress.
He lauded the BPDA and the active participation of sectoral representatives, saying that the workshop is a critical step in ensuring BARMM’s priorities are not only represented but fully integrated into the BIMP-EAGA strategic roadmap for the next decade.
During the 16th BIMP-EAGA Leaders’ Summit held last May in Malaysia, Magno had a dialogue with BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who showcased the region’s potential in agribusiness, renewable energy, and the halal industry to regional stakeholders, including the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce.
“BARMM is a vital contributor to BIMP-EAGA’s inclusive growth, and this workshop is a key platform for translating intent into monitorable, real-world action,” Magno said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
