MinDA affirms partnership with BARMM in sustainable dev't
MAGNO (FB)
DAVAO CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) reaffirmed its partnership in advancing inclusive and sustainable development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as it celebrated its seventh founding anniversary on Wednesday.
“MinDA is honored to join this year’s celebration,” MinDA Secretary Leo Terso Magno said in a statement Thursday, adding that BARMM’s anniversary theme reflects the unity and resilience of the Bangsamoro people.
Magno noted that MinDA, the national government’s primary planning, policy coordination, and advocacy arm for Mindanao, will continue to work with BARMM on regional and international cooperation, particularly through the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
“Through BIMP-EAGA, MinDA ensures BARMM’s priorities are represented in cross-border trade, investment, and connectivity initiatives,” he said, adding that these efforts create opportunities for Bangsamoro enterprises to access regional markets.
Looking ahead, Magno said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed hope that the upcoming BARMM elections would allow the Bangsamoro people to freely express their voices and aspirations.
In his speech at the anniversary program in Cotabato City on Wednesday, the President urged unity and sustained peace in BARMM and called for stronger collaboration between the national government and Bangsamoro leadership.
He said peace and cooperation remain essential to ensuring lasting progress in BARMM, describing the region’s creation as a landmark achievement for the entire country.
“The establishment of BARMM is proof that sacrifice, dialogue, and unity are the keys to lasting peace,” Marcos said.
The President noted that the Bangsamoro government's development plans align with national priorities, emphasizing that coordination between the two levels of government would have a greater impact.
“It shows that public service becomes more meaningful when it is carried out in the spirit of solidarity and collaboration,” he said. (PNA)