Thirty people’s organizations (PO) across the six regions of Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) are selected to undergo strengthening and capacity building activities to develop them into local enterprises.

The project accordingly will help in strengthening the institutions like the POs that serve as alternative service delivery mechanisms for inclusive community driven development in the conflict-affected communities.

According to Engr. Jandatu Salik, project operations officer of the Mindanao Trust Fund Reconstruction and Development Program (MTFRDP) of the agency, these peoples organizations are selected based on the criteria that includes: PO functionality, sub project (SP) functionality and their enabling environment.

“In doing the selection of POs and the sites, the project team did inventory of 380 sub-projects from pilot implementation of MTFRDP on 2006 up to the 4^th program partnership agreement (PPA4) that ended on June 2015,” Engr. Salik reported.

“From the 380 list of sub-projects, 162 sub-projects are categorized as income-generating”, Salik added. then segregate them from water to non-water sub-projects.

“The income generating sub-projects are further categorized into: 1) water type sub-and 2) non-water type sub-projects. Water type are water system sub-projects that include levels 2 and 3. While non-water type are sub-projects that nclude farm machineries, pre and post-harvest facilities”, Engr. Salik further said.

In Central Mindanao region, the barangays are Maitong and Matilak in Kabuntalan and Pandan, Pilar and Romonggaob in South Upi all in Maguindanao province.

In Davao region are barangay Kingking, Magnaga, Napnapan, and Tagdangua in Pantukan Compostellay Valley and Brgy. Tubaon in Tarragona, Davao Oriental.

In Ranaw Region are barangay Tambo, Balintad and North Cadulawan in Munai municpality and Brgy. Daramba in Poona Piagapo all in the province of Lanao del Norte. Brgy. Buad in Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur is also selected.

In Southern Mindanao Region are the barangays of Maguling and Ticulab in Maitum town, brgy. Lun Masla and Tuyan in Malapatan, and Brgy.Lumasal in Maasim all in the province of Sarangani.

In Zamboanga-Basilan region are barangay Upper Bato-Bato in Akbar, Danapah in Al-Barka, Balagtasan in Lamitan, Badja in Tipo-Tipo and Bohe-Suyak in Ungkaya Pukan all in the Basilan province.

In Zamboanga Peninsula are barangays of Balubuan, Panabutan and San Vicente in Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte; Brgy. Upper Campo Islam in Labangan,Zamboanga del Sur and Brgy. Poblacion Muslim in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

PO Strengthening is one component of the Institutional Strengthening Agreement (ISA) supported by the MTFRDP in partnership with the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) and Mindanao Land Foundation (MinLand).

It is supported by various donors such as the European Union; the Swedish International Development Agency; the Australian Embassy in the Philippines; Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada; the United States Agency for International Development; the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the World Bank, which also serves as the Trust Fund Secretariat.