KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 9 May) – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), headed by Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, has committed to support efforts to attract more investments to the fledgling Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through continued peace-building endeavors aimed at establishing a secure and investment-friendly environment.
This as Sarmiento lauded the Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI) for approving investments valued at P5.1 billion as of April, surpassing the entire 2025 record of P5 billion.
He said such development reflects the growing trust of investors in the Bangsamoro region, attributing this to the significant gains achieved over the years by the national and BARMM governments under their joint peacebuilding and normalization efforts in the region.
“The P5.1 billion in investments generated by BARMM sends a clear and strong message that the region is now on the rise,” he said in a statement.
“This level of investor confidence is the result of years of hard work in building peace, strengthening institutions, and creating a stable and secure environment where businesses can truly thrive,” he added.
Sarmiento said the influx of investments in the BARMM affirms that peace and development must always go hand in hand, noting that the improved security conditions in the Bangsamoro have made it more attractive to both local and foreign investors who are looking at the region with a fresh eye.
“When communities are stable, and governance is responsive, investments follow. What we are seeing in BARMM today is proof that peace agreements, when fully implemented, translate into real economic opportunities that will benefit our people,” he said.
Mohamad Omar Pasigan, BBOI chairperson, earlier said the board approved the registration of six investments worth P2.7 billion during their 3rd Regular Board Meeting for 2026 on April 30.
In the first quarter of 2026, the BBOI registered investments worth P2.4 billion, or a total of P5.1 billion in just the first four months of the year. These investments are located in various parts of the Bangsamoro region.
“The consistent growth in approved investments reflects the business community’s trust in the Bangsamoro government’s commitment to transparency, ease of doing business, and investor protection,” Pasigan said.
Pasigan noted that the BBOI has been wooing investments that align with the region’s “Mas Matatag na Bangsamoro development goals and economic jihad with moral governance values.”
The Mas Matatag na Bangsamoro (Much stronger Bangsamoro) is the governance slogan of incumbent interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua while the moral governance principle was espoused by former Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim.
Sarmiento stressed that BARMM’s performance in attracting investments “sends a strong signal to the rest of the country and the international community that conflict-affected areas can transform into vibrant economic hubs when anchored on effective governance and sustained peace efforts.”
“This milestone augurs well not only for BARMM but for the entire nation,” he said. “It shows that regions once affected by conflict can become a show window of inclusive growth and stability.”
The Bangsamoro region, which was established in 2019, comprises the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur in mainland Mindanao and the island-provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi, Lamitan and Cotabato, the seat of government of BARMM. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
