𝙆𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙖 – In the recently concluded 2024 Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Strategic Planning Meeting, held on March 11-15, 2024, at Kuching, Malaysia, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), through the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) an attached agency of the Ministry of Trade Investment and Tourism (MTIT)-BARMM, enrolled ecozone and the Halal Hub industry development in the BIMP-EAGA Economic Corridor and Rolling Pipeline of Projects, respectively, for adoption and consideration of the member-countries.

 

BIMP-EAGA is a cooperation initiative of the four (4) member countries – Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines – established to spur development in remote and less developed areas of these four participating Southeast Asian countries. The Bangsamoro government established its economic integration of BARMM into BIMP-EAGA which opened opportunities for trade and investment. BARMM’s tighter economic integration into the BIMP-EAGA trade window has been regarded as a means of stimulating its development as a strategic player.

 

The said 3-day meeting aimed at reviewing the BIMP-EAGA Rolling Pipeline of Projects (RPoP) for 2023-2025, the identification of deliverables for 2024, and other subregional convergence projects. Key partners from the local government were invited to participate, acknowledging their technical know-how that is crucial in the Strategic Planning Meeting.

 

Paving the way for increasing BARMM economic competitiveness within Mindanao and the BIMP-EAGA region, BEZA-BARMM proposed the inclusion of Polloc Free Port and Ecozone (PFEZ) of BARMM as an additional gateway port in the BARMM and become a part of the BIMP-EAGA Economic Corridor. PFEZ, being the only ecozone in BARMM, is anticipated to act as both the socioeconomic and investment center of the region and as a doorway to the halal industry for the Philippines.

 

The Halal Hub and Halal industry development, on the other hand, is anticipated to contribute to the economic development of BARMM as well as align with the BIMP-EAGA trade corridor, potentially fostering collaboration and optimizing resource allocation for the benefit of the entire sub-region.

 

For the ecozone, Halal Hub, and Halal industry development, the BIMP-EAGA Trade and Industry Facilitation Cluster representatives proposed and adopted in the plenary that Technical Working Groups (TWGs) be created to study the proposals.

Meanwhile, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), as the Philippine Coordinating Office for BIMP-EAGA (PCOBE), along with DTI USec. Ana Carolina P. Sanchez as the Philippine Senior Official for BIMP-EAGA, spearheaded the Philippine delegation comprised of key officials and representatives from different government agencies, the Bangsamoro Government, and private sector stakeholders from Mindanao and Palawan.

 

This year, BARMM delegations were participated by MTIT-BARMM Deputy Minister Atty. Sukarno A. Abas, also the Executive Director of BEZA-BARMM; Dir. Hussien Biruar and Dir. Marites Maguindra of MTIT-BARMM; Dr. Tato Usman and Dr. Aldrin Ibbo of the Ministry of Health (MOH)-BARMM; Dr. Macmod Mamalangcap, Mr. Datu Hamsur Zaid, and Engr. Saidona Lawan of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR)-BARMM; Engr. Nasrudin Masakal of the Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC)-BARMM; and private sector representative for BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC). The Bangsamoro government’s attendance at the meeting aimed at putting forward the region’s priorities for adoption and consideration of the BIMP-EAGA member countries. Participating BARMM ministries, offices, and agencies were well represented among the different Clusters and Working Groups of the 5 Strategic Pillar of BIMP-EAGA – Connectivity, Tourism, Food Basket, and Socio-Cultural and Education.