Local execs to discuss infra concerns in BARMM

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Public works officials are to meet on February 9 to 10 to discuss infrastructure concerns essential to solving the security issues besetting the Bangsamoro region.

In a statement Saturday, Eduard Guerra, public works minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the two-day gathering, to be held in a local function facility, is meant to foster cohesion in the peace and development efforts of district engineers under his office.

The BARMM covers Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi, Cotabato and Lamitan, where there are areas still reeling from the effects of armed conflicts that the regional government is trying to address through socio-economic interventions.

In a January 28 memorandum, the Ministry of Public Works --- operating under the joint supervision of Guerra and BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim --- also directed the participants to the February 9 to 10 activity to report on the status of projects implemented in the region under the General Appropriations Act for 2019 and years prior.

The memorandum, signed by Guerra and copies of which were received by media outfits in central Mindanao Saturday, apparently meant all infrastructure projects implemented by the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao administration.

The ARMM got replaced with BARMM in February 2019 after the ratification three weeks before, via a plebiscite administered by the Commission on Elections, of the Republic Act 11054, the charter of the now 25-month Bangsamoro regional government.

The memorandum also directed engineers from BARMM’s eight congressional districts to update Guerra on the status of the special peace and development projects of the defunct ARMM --- the Bangsamoro Regional Initiatives for Development and Empowerment, the Health, Education, Livelihood and Protection Synergy, the Humanitarian Development Assistance Program and other community empowerment thrusts.

In his statement Saturday, Guerra said MPW engineers are also to formulate plans on how to accelerate the projects of the Bangsamoro government intended to boost economic development in impoverished constituent-municipalities.

“There are so many issues we need to iron out and that will be discussed during our gathering,” said Guerra, an architect by profession.

He said their chief minister wants all projects funded from BARMM’s yearly block grant from the national coffer implemented in the most transparent manner.